


Act 1: Sins of the Father

by ShamelessWriter



Series: The Prodigal Son - Part 1: Sins of the Past [1]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/F, F/M, Gallavich, M/M, Post Season 10, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:26:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 35,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26244130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShamelessWriter/pseuds/ShamelessWriter
Summary: An old face returns to the Gallagher house, and a confrontation threatens to shatter the peace that the Gallaghers and their loved ones struggle to keep.(Act 1 in The Prodigal Son series.)
Relationships: Debbie Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich Friendship, Debbie Gallagher/Sandy Milkovich, Ian Gallagher & Mandy Milkovich, Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich, Lip Gallagher/Tami Tamietti, Mandy Milkovich/Mickey Milkovich
Series: The Prodigal Son - Part 1: Sins of the Past [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1906456
Comments: 45
Kudos: 63





	1. Your Sins Will Haunt You

**Author's Note:**

> Hi. New writer to the website here. Wrote Fanfiction before a long time ago but Shameless has kind of sparked my inner writer again. These series of stories will be post season 10. Thank you for reading and feel free to leave a comment if you want, I always appreciate constructive criticism. 
> 
> Obviously Non-Canon. Story starts somewhere immediately after season 10. Some scenes/storylines of season 10 will not apply here. 
> 
> Basically I was watching Shameless again and got to the part about Sammi Slott being Frank's daughter and thought...what if he had other kids, too? And what if those kids held a secret that showed just how selfish and terrible of a human being Frank Gallagher really is?

**October 4th - 2020**

* * *

She stood in front of the door of the light blue house. Her hand goes up, a balled fist, to knock, but it stops for a moment. She sighs, her breath leaving a cold mist into the air, as she looks up at the numbers above the door. 2119, on South Wallace street. It felt like forever since she had grabbed her suitcase and walked down the steps. She wanted to make a life of her own, but she realized that her life wasn't much without her family there in it. As much as Fiona Gallagher wanted to carve her own path, free from her brothers and sister, and especially her father...she knew that her heart would eventually bring her here. Back to this door. Fiona takes a breath, and slowly raises her arm again, and this time knocks.

A moment passes in complete silence. Fiona barely moves, sans to brush a long strand of brown hair from her forehead. She sighs again, that cool breath of air misting in the early October cold. It's strange that it would be so cold in October, but Fiona guesses that Chicago is getting an early start on winter this year.

"God damn it." She whispers to herself, bursting another mist of air in the cold. This time she leans a bit more forward, putting her weight into her fist, pounding on the door. Finally she hears a voice yell out. "Hold the fuck on!" It yells, as Fiona smiles and shakes her head. A moment later the door swings open and a dark haired, annoyed looking young man answers it. "What the fuck do you wa..." His voice stops, as his eyes go wide, seeing the Gallagher woman standing in front of him. Mickey Milkovich is definitely confused, but it takes him less than a second to process what is happening.

"Holy fucking shit, Fiona Gallagher. The fuck are you doing back here? I thought you escaped the south side?" Mickey stands there, in his black wife beater shirt and jeans. Fiona always hated the name of that shirt. "Wife beater." But it was called that for a reason, it seemed. God knows she knew plenty of people who wore one of those shirts who fit the bill of "Wife Beater." Mickey's dad, Terry Milkovich was probably easiest to name on that list.

"Hey, Mickey! I guess the south side has a way of pulling people back in, eh?" She says, as Mickey steps away from the door, allowing her to come into the house. Her old home, The Gallagher residence. Fiona looks around. Not much has changed. Except, as Fiona's eyes fall onto the living room, it looks like someone replaced the couch.

"Nice couch" She says, as Mickey shrugs and grunts an affirmative. "I'm guessing Debbie went shopping a bit with the money I left her, huh?"

Mickey shakes his head and smiles. A small smile, but it's there. "Yeah, a bit is a fucking understatement." He says, as he lights a cigarette and closes the door behind him. "She practically spent that 50 G's you gave her on Armani clothes and a bunch of high tier bullshit." Fiona shoots Mickey a look, half angry at hearing this, and half not surprised at all. "Fucking shit." She says. "And here I thought she'd be more fucking responsible with the cash."

Mickey shakes his head, regarding Fiona standing there, as she goes and sits on the newer couch, testing it out. "It's nice." She says. "Definitely feels a bit high priced." Mickey stands there, taking a hit of his smoke, as he walks over to the chair and sits down. "The hell you doing back anyways, Gallagher? Seriously. I thought you were leaving forever?" Fiona leans back against the couch and smiles a bit. "I dunno, Mick. Honestly, life was kind of boring without all the noise and chaos of this house and all you guys. I kind of missed it, you know? So I thought maybe I'd pop in, and see how things were?"

Mickey chuckles a small bit. "Well, Ian will be fucking happy to see you. Lip and everybody else too. Maybe not Debbie if she thinks you're going to light her up for spending most of the money you gave her, though." Fiona smiled and shook her head. "Nah, she'll be happy to see me too, I think. Where is everyone anyways?"

Mickey looks shrugs a bit, again. "Debbie is out walking with Sandy and Franny, Lip is working on his new place with Tami. Liam and Carl, I have no fucking clue. Ian is at work. Somehow, by SOME fucking miracle of God, he got his fucking job back as an EMT. I guess it pays to live in a progressive state sometimes. Fuck, I dunno." Mickey finishes his cigarette, putting it out into an ashtray as suddenly Fiona beams, smiling wider. "Oh yeah! I hear you and Ian got married! Congrats! I'm sorry I missed it. I never got the invite or anything! I didn't know until Lip told me over the phone."

Mickey smiles a bit, remembering the wedding. It hasn't been but a few months since they were married at that shitty little German bingo hall, or whatever the fuck it was. He wasn't sure. He just knew that it had been the best day of his life. It was a bit of a struggle, figuring out how married life worked, but Mickey seems to think they've, at the very least, got a handle on all the bullshit. It hasn't been easy, not with Mickey's dad pulling a drive by shooting on their honeymoon suite and speeding off. Fortunately, the son of a bitch got caught later on and went back to jail. For how long? Mickey isn't sure.

Fiona hears a door open and conversation happening, and she stands up and turns to the kitchen, as a familiar redhead comes walking through the door, her back turned to the living room. Fiona stands there a moment in the opening between the kitchen and the living room, waiting for the young woman to turn and see her. Debbie Gallagher, her younger sister, is oblivious, as she's speaking with her girlfriend, Sandy Milkovich, cousin to Mickey Milkovich. "I'm just saying, Sandy, that there's no way in hell anyone was better than Micheal Jordan. The guy was the fucking GOAT. And you have the GALL to say that Lebron is the Greatest of all time? Pft. Please." Debbie smiled at her lover, even as she argued with her. Sandy leaned against the now shut door, smiling back at her as they debated the greats of the NBA. "No fucking way." Sandy retorted. "Lebron is one of the single best shooter the league has EVER seen, I mean..have you seen him this season? He's on fire!"

Debbie opens her mouth to respond, but feels a tug on her leg, and looks down at her daughter, Franny. "What's up, baby?" She says, lovingly. Franny says nothing, only turns and points in the direction of the living room. Debbie turns too, and her eyes go wide as she sees her older sister standing in the doorway. "Fi..Fiona?" She says, almost breathlessly.

Fiona gives a small little wave. "Hi." Is all she can say, before Debbie runs over and wraps her up in a tight hug, tears in her eyes. "See?" She says, turning to Mickey as he walks by. "I told you she'd be happy to see me." Mickey grunts and walks into the kitchen, regarding his cousin as they talk, leaving Fiona and Debbie in the living room. "HOLY SHIT." Debbie says, happily, with tears in her eyes, "What the fuck, Fiona? What..what are you doing here? When did you get back? Holy shit!" She says, pulling her sister into another tight hug.

Fiona laughs as she hugs back, just as tight. "I just got here. I'm happy to see you too!" She says, as Debbie pulls back and Fiona runs a hand down her bright red hair lovingly. "I'm not entirely sure why i came back. Just...felt like seeing you guys, I guess." Fiona watches as the other girl starts to step forward a bit, as Debbie turns. "Um, Fiona. This is Sandy. She's my..." Debbie stops, and looks at Sandy, almost as if asking the question of what she is herself. Sandy steps forward and nods to Fiona a bit. "I'm Mickey's cousin...and I guess, maybe Debbie's girlfriend." That response draws a bit of a smile from Debbie, as her face goes as red as her hair.

Fiona's eyes are wide at hearing that. "Girlfriend? Really? Wow! I...I wouldn't have guessed. But fuck it, congrats, both of you!" She says, smiling still. "I guess Ian is rubbing off on you a bit too much, huh?" She jokes. Debbie gives a bit of a fake laugh and eye roll. "Hardy har, Fiona." Fiona leans down a bit, at the little girl hiding behind Sandy's legs. "Hi, Franny. Do you remember me at all? I'm Fiona. Your mommy's sister. I guess that makes me your aunt. Remember?" She watches as Franny slowly comes around, eyeing Fiona closely, then looking at her mom. Debbie smiles down to her as she gives her a tiny push to encourage her. Franny walks up, regarding Fiona, as she speaks softly. "Hi, Aunt Fiona." She says, as she slowly, tediously reaches her arms out to hug her.

Fiona pulls her in close and gives her a light hug back, for only a quick moment. "My gosh, girl. You've grown up so big!" She says, as Franny smiles a bit, now obviously a little more relaxed. Debbie grins. "Yeah, she's growing like a weed. I swear she gets an inch bigger every morning she wakes up." Fiona stands up, patting Franny on the head a bit and tickling her neck as Franny giggles. Debbie turns to Franny and says "Franny, baby. Go see if there are any good cartoons on Tv, okay? Mommy has to talk to Auntie Fiona." Franny nods as she slowly walks into the living room to sit on the couch.

Debbie turns and shakes her head once more. "Holy shit, Fiona. I cannot believe your back!" Fiona smiles a bit as she crosses her arms. "I know. Seems like just yesterday I jumped on that plane and left you that 50k, huh?" Fiona watched as Debbie's face turned a little guilty, but she still kept that smile. "Yeah, man. We were going to throw you a party and you just left. What's up with that, huh?" She says, teasingly. "I dunno. What happened with that 50 thousand I left you on the fridge?" She teases back. Debbie stops, her smile dead and gone now, as she looks at Mickey, as he guilty looks away, taking off upstairs. "SNITCH!" She yells out after him. "Fuck you, red!"

Mickey yells back. Debbie shakes her head, eyeing Fiona. "Don't you start on me too, Fi. If it's any consolation, Frank snaked his way into taking most of it out of my hands." Debbie turns and the smile is back a bit, as she regards her now proclaimed girlfriend. "Can you call Ian? I'm going to call Lip and Tami and see if I can get them to come down. Fiona! oh shit I didn't even realize. You haven't met Freddie yet!" Fiona's eyes go wide as she realizes it as well. "Oh fuck! You're right. Lip and Tami's son! I can't wait to meet him." Debbie walks by her, grabbing her phone out of her pocket as she starts making calls. Fiona turns to Sandy, silent for a moment, and then speaks. "Frank?"

Sandy rolls her eyes and nods. "Frank."

Fiona can only turn and sigh. "Fucking Frank."

* * *

He's walking down the street now. Honestly, more like stumbling. Bottle in hand, Frank Gallagher mutters to himself, half drunk and filthy. Honestly, it's just another Wednesday for him.

After a few hours of pounding beers at The Alibi, and haggling prices and running up his tab with Kevin and V, Frank is now out and wandering the streets of Southside Chicago, smelling of piss and muttering to himself like some serial killer in one of those campy B horror movies.

"They fucking argue with me about what I owe? WHAT I OWE? I've been a...good fucking customer to them for YEARS! YEARS! And what thanks do I get? Fucking overcharged for piss water and told "If you don't like it, Frank, leave?" NO! FUCK NO! I'll take my drinking elsewhere then! Fucking assholes are off their nut if they think they can tell me, Frank fucking Gallagher..." Frank stops in mid sentence as he turns, seeing a shadow about half a block behind him stop walking and duck into a side alley. He's not sure if it's the booze making him see things, or his usual bouts of paranoia. But he could swear that guy was following him.

Frank shakes his head a bit, and turns around, continuing to half stumble down the road. He gets about ten or so feet away, and quickly turns, and sees a larger sized man in a dark coat, still walking about half a block behind, pop into a store quickly.

Okay. Now it's official. He IS being followed. Frank picks up the pace a tiny bit, still trying to mutter and yell, turning around every so often. He sees the man, and makes eye contact. Frank turns around, muttering to himself. "Shit" As a sober feeling takes over his brain, shaking him from his drunken stupor.

His brain wracks as he tries to think of why anyone would be following him. Does he owe anyone? Money? A favor? He's been so drunk half the time he could have promised anything or made any kind of bet and lost. Like that one time, he remembers, when he lost a bet and he had to give Liam up into the guys care until he paid. Fucking asshole, he should have dropped after being tasered. Who the hell is still standing after TWO taser shots?

Frank ducks quickly into an alley, hiding behind a dumpster halfway up the alley, before the man shows up. he peeks around, obscured from view, and watches as the man walks into the alley, looks around, and after a moment, walks off. Frank smiles as he comes out from the back of the dumpster and stands in the alley.

Chuckling to himself, he says "You're going to have to get up pretty early in the morning to get one over on old Frank Gallagher, buddy!" And with a wave of his middle finger in the direction the man came from, Frank turns and starts walking the opposite direction he came.

He gets only about ten steps before he hears what sounds like tires screeching behind him, and he turns and sees a black SUV pulling into the alley, stopping menacingly, pointed at him. It's engines rev, the sound of some angry demon from hell, almost.

Frank's eyes go wide as he begins running in the other the direction, as the vehicle peels rubber and takes off towards him.

"Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck!" He yells, running full speed now, fully sober, as he hears the SUV getting closer.

Frank finally clears the opening of the alley and cuts left, running full speed for home.

"Fuck shit fuck shit fuck!" Is all he can get out as he runs, full speed, in a panic.

* * *

At the Gallagher house, everyone is finally gathered together, finally celebrating Fiona's return. Lip, Carl, Liam, Debbie, Lip's girlfriend Tami, and even Ian is there, as he got some time off work to take a break long enough to come say hello and greet his sister again. Liam, glad to see her, runs up and hugs her tight. Carl as well.

"Jesus, Fiona." Lip, her brother, says. "I'd have never figured you'd come back around here after all the shit and everything." Fiona smiles a bit, laughing. "That's EXACTLY what Mickey said, you know?" She says, hugging Lip, her younger brother. "Nah, I just...I dunno. I felt something calling me back here. I don't know why. I guess I just missed you guys that much." Lip chuckles a bit. "Well, then you're a bigger idiot than anyone gives you credit for." He says, with that wry smile he always likes to flash.  
  
Fiona has a full blown laughing fit at that, as Tami walks over with Fred in her arms. "Meet your baby nephew, Freddie, or Fred...as we call him." Fiona's face turns to one of amazement as Tami gently hands Freddie to her, and she stands, cradling him in her arms. "He's so fucking cute. Oops." She says, correcting herself. "Sorry, Freddie. Bad words." Tami laughs a bit. "Eh, he's heard worse in the small amount of time he's been around us."  
  
Ian walks up, as Fiona hands Freddie back to Lip, and hugs her tight. "I'm glad you're home, Fiona. Even though I did tell you to get the fuck out of here, and all." He says, smiling. Fiona laughs as she answers. "Well, I guess I'm shit at following directions." She chuckles out, that same smile on her face. She hasn't stopped smiling since Mickey opened the door. Fiona is beginning to think that her coming back was a good thing, now.  
  
Ian turns, as the rest of the Gallaghers and Milkoviches, and Tami Tamietti, all converse with each other. Ian walks up to his husband, Mickey, and kisses him. "I've got to go back to work, Mick. Keep an eye on everything until I get back?" Mickey smiles a bit, hands stroking his husbands face. "The fuck you think I am?" He says softly, "The night guard of the Gallagher house, or something?" Ian smiles a bit, and kisses him once more. "If I said yes, am I going to get punched?" Mickey laughs and responds. "Worse than that, Gallagher." 

With that, Ian heads out the back door of the kitchen after saying goodbye to everyone. The banter continues for a few minutes, with everyone starting to go their separate ways, until they hear the front door slam open, and a panting, sweaty, exhausted Frank Gallagher comes running in.

'Fuck! Hide me! Fuck!" He yells, as he comes running into the kitchen. "The fuck is going on?!" Debbie yells, at Frank, as he struggles to catch his breath.

"Fucking...someone's...chasing me." Debbie stands there a moment, with everyone else staring, as she remarks. "It's probably just Kevin, trying to get you to pay your tab at The Alibi again, Frank. Stop being so paranoid!" Frank mocks laughs, breathlessly. "Oh HA, HA, Debs! I'll have you know I just ran fifteen blocks back here because I'm getting chased by a fucking SUV bigger than anything I've ever seen...before..." Frank's words stop as he finally sees his prodigal daughter, standing in the kitchen. "F..Fiona? Holy shit. Fiona! What in the fuck are you doing here?" Fiona, standing and shaking her head, can only say "Question of the day, Frank. I guess the more things change the more they stay the same."  
  
Frank's eyes go wide as he shakes his head. "Oh, what? You think I'm lying? When have you ever seen me run, other than when I am being chased? Are you fucking kidding me?" Frank stands there, incredulously, as the rest of everyone watches this exchange.  
  
THOOM! Suddenly the front door of the Gallagher house slams open again, and three burly, well built individuals in black coats, jeans and skis masks come barreling in. "Fuck! I fucking told you so!" Frank yells, as Mickey and Fiona spring into action first. Mickey grabs a nearby bat as Fiona rushes into the living room and starts yelling, and is immediately grabbed and shoved against the wall by one of the burly men, as she fights.  
  
Lip turns, and starts to yell for Tammy to run with Freddie and Franny, when suddenly the backdoor to the kitchen opens, and two more individuals come rushing in, pistols drawn. "EVERYBODY FREEZE!" One man yells, behind his mask. Lip turns and looks to the living room, then back at Tami, and Freddie, frustrated. "Fuck! Alright. Just calm down! Jesus!" Lip gets one look at Tami, obviously scared and clutching her son, as he looks to Debbie, also shielding her daughter, and trying to keep Sandy back.  
  
Suddenly a voice calls out from the living room. "Excuse me!" Everyone turns to see a large, 6'5 African American individual step into the living room. "We're sorry to interrupt whatever you all were doing, but could you all please come into the living room, here? We'd very much appreciate it." Not much had to be said, as Fiona had finally stopped struggling against the one man she was fighting, as Mickey is staring down the barrel of a gun, and angrily drops his bat. The men in the kitchen lead everyone into the living room, slowly.

"Now." The man who seems to be their leader says, "If you all co-operate with us, this will be easy, and painless." He turns, regarding Tami and Debbie's kids. "Excuse me, Ms...Tamietti, I believe it is?" Tami's eyes go wide at her name being called, and still very scared, she manages to get out a meek "Y..yes?" 

The man speaks, softly, but with determination and a no nonsense tone. "I don't want to involve children in what's about to happen, so would you mind taking your son here, and...Debbie's daughter, upstairs, please?" Debbie's eyes go wide and wild at the mention of Franny. "how do you know our fucking names?" The man raises a finger. "I'll explain in a moment, but I'd rather your children not be present, if that is alright with you? or are you the type of parent to put your kid in harm's way?" Debbie's face is angry, but she slowly guides Frannie over to Tami.

Tami takes Franny's hand, and turns, looking at Lip pleadingly. Lip shakes his head softly, and tells her, "Go upstairs, and don't come down, no matter what, okay?" Tami gives Lip another look, almost as if asking him to follow her. Lip says, more sternly. "Go. Freddie is more important. Keep them both safe." He says, motioning to Franny as well.

Tami gives a look around the room, worryingly, then slowly leads Frannie upstairs, while carrying Freddie in her arms. The leader turns, watching as she goes up, and when she is finally out of earshot, and he hears a bedroom door closes, speaks. 

"Now." He turns towards the man pinning Fiona against the wall, nodding, as the man obediently releases her. Fiona shoves him away a bit, angrily turning to this man. "What the fuck do you want and why are you in our house?" The man, in response, turns towards Frank and nods his head at him. Fiona angrily looks at Frank. "What the FUCK did you get us into this time, Frank?" Frank puts his hands up in surrender and yells. "I don't fucking know! I didn't do anything!"

"But you did, Frank." The leader says. "You owe a debt. One you've been ducking for a pretty long time. And now, it's time to repay." Fiona spins to Frank and yells. "What? You make another bet at The Alibi again, Frank? Pull more of your fucking bullshit?" Frank turns to her and starts arguing. "Oh, I don't know what the fuck you are talking about, Fiona. And might I remind you that you JUST fucking got back...what? Five minutes ago? Who the fuck are you to tell me..."  
  
"ENOUGH!" The man's voice booms, silencing everyone. "I don't have time for arguing." He turns to one of his men, and whispers something in his ear. The man quickly walks past, as everyone's attention is focused on this leader. He stands there, for a quiet moment, as the man walks out the backdoor. Finally, he speaks. "Frank. You owe a debt, as I said. And now, it's time to settle that debt." Frank regards the man for a minute, as the backdoor to the kitchen opens, and the masked man come in, standing behind everyone in the opening of the doorway between the kitchen and living room.

"Or what?' Frank says, a sudden bout of cockiness in his voice, as he stands next to Fiona and the rest of the Gallaghers and Milkoviches. "You going to kill all of us?" The stranger shakes his head as Frank continues. "I've never met you in my fucking life, buddy. So I don't know what you THINK I owe you, but you can kiss my ass!" Fiona turns to Frank and hisses at him. "FRANK! ARE YOU NUTS? THEY HAVE GUNS, POINTED RIGHT AT US!!" Frank scoffs, a sudden burst of confidence. "Oh, they're not going to do anything, Fiona! What? They going to be able to cart all of our bodies out of here? In broad daylight? This may be the south side but they'd never get away with that!" He turns towards the leader. "I don't know what made you think you could come into MY house, and tell me about MY so called Debt to you. But you know what, buddy..."

Frank's words are silenced as the man raises a hand and softly says, "Frank. I NEVER said...that you owed ME the debt."

Frank, scoffs, laughing now. "Oh, what? You're here to do your bosses dirty work? A lackey? is that it? A henchman? You know what?" He says, turning and pointing at every intruder in the room. "You can take your buddies here, and here, and here, and here, and this fucking guy, and fuck off!" He says, turning back to the leader. "Because there's NO WAY, IN HELL that Frank FUCKING Gallagher is going to pay you..a single..dime.." Frank's words stop dead, as his face changes, to a curious look, and he turns around, looking into the kitchen. 

Standing there, is a six foot tall, blond haired man, with his mask fully off, staring dead at Frank.

Fiona turns and regards this new man. "Who the fuck is that?"

Frank's face starts off confused, then changes, to pure horror, as his face turns dead white, and his eyes go wide. "N..no." he says, causing all of the Gallagher family to stare at him, and then this man. "No..not you. Not...you." Frank says. "It can't be." Frank says, as he slumps against the back of the couch, sitting on it. Fiona's eyes are wide, as her head darts back and forth between Frank and this man. "Frank...who the fuck is that?!" Frank says nothing, as tears well in his eyes. "No..No..it can't be."

The leader suddenly cuts through the tension with his booming voice, as he steps forward, regarding the man standing in the kitchen. "You good, Vic? Need us to stick round and do the dog and pony show?"  
The man named Vic shakes his head slightly. "Nah." He says, his voice deep. "You guys can leave. I've got this from here. Thank you, Markus." 

The man, now known as Markus turns to Fiona and speaks. "I'm very sorry about all of that, Ms Gallagher. None of you were ever in any danger, we just needed to put on a front cause Frank is almost impossible to pin down. I hope you'll understand, and forgive us. You were never in ANY danger, nor were your children." Markus says, to Debbie and Lip. "My apologies." With that, all of the men, except the one known as Vic turn quickly and leave the house, leaving this man alone with them all. Mickey start slowly making his way over to Vic, but Debbie sees and shakes her head, as they all, sans Frank, push back into the living room, as Vic walks forward, standing in front of Frank.

"Hello, Frank. Been a long time. Almost twenty years, to be exact." The man says, but his voice, is ice cold. Hatred seems to pour from it. Fiona bravely speaks up. "W..who are you, dude? And how do you know my dad?" Vic regards Fiona for a moment, looking at the rest of the group, but not speaking, until his eyes fall on Frank again. Frank, however, is doing everything he can to avoid looking at him. "Frank." Vic says, voice still frozen. "You want to tell them who I am?"

Frank shakes his head, finally looking this man in the eyes. "Vic. Please don't. They're my family." This response causes the man to chuckle for a moment, as he shakes his head. "You haven't changed a bit, Frank." Suddenly, like lightning, the man's fist meets with Frank's chin, as Frank goes sprawling off the couch, onto the floor, Vic still standing above him. With a voice like tempered iron, cold and calculating, Vic speaks angrily. "I was your family, Frank. Or did you forget that?"  
  
Mickey begins to move, until Vic raises a finger at him. Just one finger, and in a cold voice, goes "Don't even think about it." Frank crawls along the floor, finally turning around to regard Vic. "Please, please." Vic can only scoff, and with a kick to the face, knocks Frank out. Fiona yells "STOP!" at the kick. Surprisingly, the man named Vic does. He watches as Frank lays on the floor, then suddenly spits on him. The rest of the group stand there in shock, as Vic stands staring at Frank, then slowly turns, regarding the group, as he walks to the front door. He opens the door and turns to the group, and the next words out of his mouth cause them all to look in shock as he leaves.

His words were: "Tell Frank, when he wakes up, that his first born son isn't finished with him."  
  


* * *

**"Twenty years of crawling was bottled up inside him  
He wasn't holding nothing back, he let 'em have it all..."**

**Coward of the County - Kenny Rogers**


	2. Sleepwalking Through The Chaos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Gallaghers and Milkoviches attempt to recover from the shock of Frank's self proclaimed "First Born Son" showing up, in the manner that he did. How will it affect the dynamics of the family?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI everyone! Thank you all for reading, and the lovely comments! I hope this chapter is just as great to you all as the last one! Happy Labor Day! Also if you'd like a reference for what Vic looks like, I modeled him after Charlie Hunnam, aka Jax from Sons of Anarchy, cause Charlie looks a LOT like William H Macy, to be honest. So if I was casting for Shameless, Charlie Hunnam would be Vic. lol!
> 
> Written (9/5/2020)
> 
> P.S: I realized that writing 10-15 chapters for each story in this series is probably not going to happen so I am shooting for either five or six. Short series, sure, but If I am able to put more in I will. Thanks, all!
> 
> P.S.S. Also apologies for any major typos. My PC keyboard kind of sucks, tbh. If I miss them, I'll try to proof read and correct them before I post the story.

**Aftermath:**

* * *

  
A silent, tense moment goes by, as the door shuts, and the man now known as Vic leaves the living room the of the Gallagher house. No one moves for a moment. A moment that feels like an eternity. The sound of a car revving and peeling away can be heard, but no one moves yet, still visibly in shock. Finally, Mickey Milkovich mutters to himself. "Fuck this." He says, as he quickly grabs a baseball bat, stepping over the now unconscious body of one Frank Gallagher, who was knocked out by Vic. "Someone fucking check on him, make sure he isn't dead, or something."   
  
Carl Gallagher rushes forward, leaning down and slapping Frank lightly on the face. "Frank! Wake the fuck up!" Frank is still out cold, blood running from his nose. Debbie Gallagher looks around, then at her brother Lip, and they both simultaneously take off upstairs to the second floor of the house, where Lip's girlfriend, Tami Tamietti is hiding in one of the bedrooms with Lip's son, Fred, and Debbie's daughter, Franny. Fiona Gallagher slowly walks into the kitchen, both slander hands pulling her brown hair back in frustration. Sandy Milkovich, Mickey's cousin and Debbie's girlfriend, slowly starts making her way up the stairs as well.

Mickey throws open the front door and moves with a quickness, down the steps, through the front gate, and into the middle of the street, bat in hand. He looks left, and right down the road, but sees nothing. No movement. No unknown cars. Nothing. "Motherfucker!" He yells, angrily, as he turns and begins walking back to the house, angrily. He reaches into his pocket and produces a cellphone, and quickly dials a number, and after a few rings, gets a response. "Ian. It's Mickey. Jesus fucking Christ. Something's happened. You need to get your ass back here now." A few moments, and a muffled voice over the phone and Mickey continues. "Well, there's a new fucking Gallagher floating around and he just barged into the house with his buddies and pointed guns at all of us and went after Frank!" A moment more, more muffled voice. "Alright, I'll see you when you get here. I love you." Mickey hangs up the phone, letting out a frustrated grunt as he heads back inside the house.

* * *

  
Lip Gallagher heads up the stairs quickly, his sister Debbie in tow, her red hair swishing quickly as she bounds up behind him. "Tami! Where are you?" Lip yells. A small, almost meek response comes from the bedroom down the hall. "We're in here, Lip!" She calls out. Lip and Debbie both waste no time in moving down the hall, as Lip swings open the door. There on the bed, sits Tami, visibly upset, and trying to hold her son and Debbie's daughter, Franny. Franny is crying, tucked into Tami's left arm tightly, as Tami holds on hand on Fred, who lays in the middle of the bed, supported by pillows around his tiny body. Freddie coos and giggles in that noise only a baby can make, oblivious to what is happening. Tami is lightly shushing Franny, holding her close. "It's okay baby, look, mommy's here." Franny turns a bit, and sees Debbie as she comes in. "Mommy!" She cries, as Debbie scoops her up, holding her tight. Giving Lip and Tami both a look, Debbie quickly retreats into another room with Franny, leaving them both alone with their child, as she shuts the door behind her.  
  
A long, quiet, tense moment occurs, as Tami picks Freddie up, and holds him close. Lip sits down next to her, as Tami finally hisses out at Lip, her voice low and angry. "What the fuck was that?" Lip doesn't answer for a moment. Tami stares, her eyes growing more cold by the second. "Frank's shit just keeps piling up, doesn't it? All this bullshit, Lip. I wanted to get AWAY from it!" Her voice is low, still, as Lip turns. He says nothing for another brief moment, then speaks. "I think...I don't know, Tami. There was someone else there. He took his mask off. Jumped Frank. He's knocked out downstairs right now." Tami's eyes go wide, then she remarks. "Well he honestly, probably fucking deserved it."  
  
Lip speaks again. "His son." And Tami looks genuinely confused. "What?" She says. Lip leans back and breaths out a long breath. "The guy who knocked Frank out, said he was his 'First Born' son." Tami regards this for a moment, thinking. "You mean, like that sister you had? The crazy one that got Ian locked up?" Lip nods. "Sammi, yeah. But this guy, Tami...I don't know. Something felt off." Tami sits, watching Lip. "You think he's lying?"

Lip shakes his head. "I don't know. But he...I've never seen someone that fucking pissed off at Frank before. He knew all our names, even the kids. He's been watching us. Probably for awhile now."   
  
Tami stands up, angrily, holding Lip's son in her arms. "That's fucking great, Lip. Just what we need. A psycho family member that nobody knew about stalking us!" Lip looks up, incredulous. "I didn't fucking know, Tami! How was I supposed to?" Tami shakes her head, in anger. "I know you didn't Lip, but it's always fucking something!" Her voice is half yelling now, causing her son to start crying, as she holds him closer. "If it's not the regular chaos of your family, or the bullshit with the house, or your fucking alcoholism, or God know what else, now it's THIS." Lip stands up quickly, shaking his head, as he reaches for his son.

But Tami pulls away, keeping Freddie from him. Lip gives her a look. "Honestly, Tami, I didn't do anything." Tami fires back angrily. "That's the fucking problem, Lip. YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" Lip gives her a look like she grew a new head on her shoulders as he speaks. "What? I should have jumped them? Got shot? Got all of us killed?" Tami scoffs as she replies. "No, Lip. Obviously not, but you should have left! Before all this bullshit. We should have went to fucking Milwaukee like I fucking WANTED to do in the first place."  
  
Lip looks away from her angrily for a moment. "Don't start that shit, Tami." But all fire and iron, Tami replies back quickly. "No, Lip. I AM starting it. If you'd have just fucking went to Milwaukee we'd never have been at this house when all this bullshit happened. YOU PUT MY SON IN DANGER, LIP!" She finally yells, releasing the anger. Lip stands there, angry but silent now. Tami just shakes her head, eyes ablaze and mouth thin lipped. She reaches down and grabs Freddie's baby bag and slings it over her shoulder. "it's like I said before. You love your south side family more than you do this one. We should never have been here, Lip. You need to get your shit together and WAKE UP."   
  
With that, Tami walks out of the room, but turns in the hallway. "I'm going to take Freddie to my dad's and stay the night. I don't want to see you right now." Lip's eyes go soft as he replies. "Tami...come on." Tami turns and speaks. "No, Lip. Get your fucking shit straight. And when this bullshit is taken care of, and I know it's safe to come around, and I don't have to worry about your stalker ass psycho 'maybe' brother, then we can talk. But don't hold your breath."  
  
With that, Tami leaves, walking down the stairs, as Lip can only sit back down on the bed, angry and dejected.

* * *

Ian Gallagher quickly makes his way up the staircase of the Gallagher home, his breath racing. He had just drove what felt like 100 miles an hour to get home. He was fortunate that his boss, Roy, let him go home early, but told him that he was pushing his luck. Ian quickly opens the door, and walks into chaos. Tami, his brother girlfriend, pushes past him, stopping long enough to look him in the face and say "You missed all the fun, Ian," as she leaves. Ian glances back a moment, confused, as he sees Frank sitting on the couch, a towel pressed against his bloody nose, as Fiona stares at him angrily. Mickey walks over and kisses Ian deeply. "Hey. Jesus fucking Christ, Ian." Ian smiles a bit as he speaks. "Yeah, you kind of said that over the phone." Mickey gives him an annoyed look, then looks back at Frank. "Turns out, this asshole has a kid who's not too happy with him." Ian sighs "Yeah, you said that too. What the fuck is going on?"  
  
Fiona angrily points at Frank and shakes her head. "This dickhead came screaming in here right after you left, followed by about six or seven guys with guns. They surrounded us, pushed us into the living room, and it turns out one of them claims to be Frank's 'First born' son. Beat the shit out of Frank here, and left. Said this wasn't over, though. Frank..." Fiona says, turning to him, as Frank refuses to look up, avoiding eye contact. A small moment passes, and it's Ian's turn to respond. "FRANK." he says, no nonsense.  
  
Frank finally looks up. "Oh, what? You going to believe some asshole with a gun, who just barges in here and claims whatever the hell he wants? The man is clearly a psychopath. He's probably even a sociopath! Who the fuck knows?" Frank stands up, arms waving in the air, obviously trying to talk his way out of the situation. "I've never seen that guy before in my LIFE. I swear it!" Fiona slowly walks up to Frank, staring him down, as Frank turns away from her, trying to not make any eye contact. She scoffs a moment, then turns to Ian, Mickey and everyone in the room. "He's lying. Frank, not this Vic guy. He really is your son, isn't he?"  
  
Frank says nothing at first, drawing a shake of the head from everyone, then turns. "Oh, what? You're all going to lecture ME? He's always been a fucking psychopath! He's no different than Sammi! You all remember Sammi, right? Crazy lunatic bitch, shot me in my fucking arm?" He points at Ian, walking closer to him. "Got Ian locked up for awhile and you all had to bail him out of THAT situation, thank you very much! Vic is...he's crazy, okay? And he's dangerous! Or did that message not come through loud and clear with his army of assholes with guns?" Ian gives Fiona a look as Lip slowly comes downstairs, standing at the base of the stairs and watching the chaos unfold. "Yeah, but you seemed pretty fucking scared to see him, Frank." Lip says, as he lights a cigarette. He was trying to quit but...fuck it. Today deserved at least one. "In fact I believe your words were something like 'Please, Vic, I have a family now?' if I'm right?"  
  
Mickey smiles and nods his head a bit. "Yep, I fucking heard that too." As Ian and Fiona nod. Frank stands there, arms waving again, as if he knew something that no one else in the room did, because somehow he thought himself smarter than them all. "Well, of course I did, because the man is insane! Again, guns! Men! Intimidation! None of that strikes you all as insane?" Fiona shrugs a bit. "Strikes me as every day in the south side, truth be told." Frank just looks at her for a moment, annoyed. He finally turns. "You know what? I don't have to take this! I'm leaving! All I do for this family, and what respect do I get? NONE! Well, I see how it is. 'Thanks Dad, for saving our lives! Thanks Frank, for keeping him at bay!' Bunch of ungrateful little shits!" He yells, as he walks past Fiona into the kitchen, and through the backdoor, coat in hand, leaving the door wide open.

Fiona sighs as she walks and shuts the door behind him, and slowly walks back into the living room. "You think he's right? You think this guy is crazy? Or would we just call that a typical Gallagher reaction to Frank?" The rest of the group just stays silent, as Fiona sighs. Until Lip turns and smiles. "Welcome back, Fiona." 

Fiona can only bust out laughing.

* * *

**Two Weeks** **Later: (October 20th - 2020)**

The craziness, for now, has seemed to die down. There hasn't been any more events in the Gallagher household, not with Vic, and not with anything else. All seems to be normal. Frank spent the day of that event drinking, rambling on at The Alibi, but now he's paranoid when he walks the streets, only recently beginning to calm down and not look over his shoulder as much. Most of the Gallaghers are unaffected by the event, as they've seen a lot of shit in their time. The only things that were truly affected by Vic's impromptu sudden visit were Lip and Tami's relationship, which only grows more strained. They continue working on the house that Lip purchased, but Tami finds every reason she can now to snipe at Lip, almost blaming him even more at present for not leaving with her and moving to Milwaukee. They fight, they make up, they fuck, they fight again. It seems to be, at current, an endless cycle.

Another person affected, possibly the most, by the events with Vic, is Debbie's daughter, Franny. Franny hasn't been exposed much to the Gallagher curse of drama and craziness, and seeing several men with guns pointed at her mother can very much affect a child. At first it was nightmares. Evil looking creatures, laughing as they chased her mommy in the dark. Too many nights she'd wake up crying and screaming, and have to sleep between Debbie and Sandy in bed, to keep the nightmares away. Another, unfortunate consequence of this, is that Franny has begun sleepwalking. So nights that she DOESN'T have any nightmares, Debbie would wake up in the morning and find her asleep in the hallway, or the bathroom, or under the kitchen table. It was disconcerting, to say the least, but Franny never wandered far, so Debbie and Sandy never thought much of it. They just locked the doors at night and tried to keep a close eyes on Franny.

Until this morning. Debbie wakes up, slowly stretching, next to her lover and girlfriend, Sandy. She smiles, and lays a small kiss on Sandy's head, causing her to moan a bit in her sleep. Debbie smiles wider, as she slowly and carefully gets up from the bed, careful not to wake Sandy. She turns, to check on Franny, and sees the bed empty. Debbie looks over at the clock on the nightstand next to the bed, thinking maybe Franny woke up before them. The clock glares in red numbers, 8:15AM. Debbie shakes her head, realizing that maybe Franny sleepwalked again, as she opens the bedroom door, and checks the hallway. No Franny.

The bathroom. Nope. Then the spare bedroom. Not there either.

Debbie heads down the living room stairs, looking to the floor in front of the couch, where sometimes, she sleeps there as well. No sign of Franny this time though. Debbie turns, and her blood runs cold. 

The kitchen door is wide open.

* * *

Sandy Milkovich awakens to a sudden shake, as she groans, looking up at her girlfriend, Debbie. She smiles for a second. "Hello, lover...can't get enough of me, eh?" But stops, as she sees the frantic look on Debbie's face. She sits up quick. "What is it?" Debbie is breathing heavily, sweating. "I can't find Franny!" She says. Sandy looks around. No sign of her. "Did she sleepwalk again?" Debbie nods. "Yeah, but she's not in the house and the kitchen door was unlocked and open!" Debbie shrieks, almost, in her high pitched, panicked voice. Sandy quickly shoots up from the bed. "Ok, she wasn't in the backyard? I remember Lip telling me that Liam used to walk to the backyard and sleep there." Debbie shakes her head furiously. "No, Sandy I fucking checked there! She's gone!"

Sandy takes a breath, but she can't help but feel a cold chill hit her spine. "Okay, I'll wake everyone up and we'll look around for her." Debbie's breaths only get more panicked, causing Sandy to grab her shoulders with both arms. "babe, look at me. LOOK AT ME." Sandy says. Debbie stares, still breathing hard. "We're going to find her. She's going to be fine. Say it." Debbie shakes her head for a moment but Sandy shakes her lightly. "Debbie! Say it." Debbie nods, breathlessly. "We're...we're going to find her. She's ok." Sandy nods. "Good. Go wake up Ian and Mickey. I'll wake Fiona, Lip and everyone else. Go!"

Sandy watches as Debbie rushes a bit out of the room, banging on doors. 

"Please be okay, Franny." She can only say, under her breath.

* * *

In an unknown alleyway, a small redheaded child is asleep, next to an unmarked dumpster. She stirs, slowly waking up, and rubbing her eyes. Franny Gallagher looks around, and as she gets her bearings, fear starts to take her. The 4 year old looks around, standing up quickly. She can hear noise, see cars pass by the alley, but no people are around. No one she knows. Franny looks around, panicked, and begins crying.

"Mommy!" She cries, as she looks around desperately for her mother. "Mommy Sandy?!" She cries out, tears falling. Franny quickly hides next to the dumpster and sits, crying. Her mommy always told her that if she was lost, to stay where she was, and be a good girl, until someone found her. So Franny Gallagher sits, her back against this smelly dumpster, crying, and calling for her mommy. She tucks her head into her knees a bit, and cries.

Suddenly Franny feels something wet press against her neck, and hears breathing. Quick breaths. She looks up, and is face to face with a large dog. A German Shepard, to be exact. Franny shrieks a bit, as the dog sniffs her, and she cries harder, in fear. The dog barks, and back up a step, as a deep voice responds. "DUKE! HEEL!" Franny shrinks back at the sudden burst of noise. She only has a split second to notice that the dog has no leash on.

The dog immediately stops barking, and sits just as quickly, and Franny shrinks back further. The dog turns, looking in a direction that she cannot see, as it whines. Suddenly she sees a shadow, growing bigger. "What did you find, boy?" It asks, as Franny hears footsteps getting closer.

Franny sits, trembling, as a man that she doesn't recognize walks up to the dog, petting it, then turns and sees her. He's large, larger than most people she's ever seen. And not in the way some in the south side are. Fat, and round. No...this man, to Franny, looks scary. He's built well. Even through his dark jacket, and grey hoodie underneath, and blue shirt. Franny looks at the man, obviously frightened, but her eyes fall to some of the patches on the man's leather jacket. She sees a black a red patch, with what looks like a planet on it, with an eagle sitting on top of it. She can't read the words, but it looks cool, if she wasn't so scared right now at this stranger.   
  
She shrinks her little body closer to the dumpster, in fear. But the man smiles softly, and his voice goes even softer. "Duke. Down." The man says, as the dog immediately obeys, and lays flat on it's stomach, paws out, and panting now, much friendlier seeming. The man bends down, a little more level to Franny as she sits on the ground.

"Hi.' He says, softly, and warmly. "Where's your mommy, hun?" He asks. Franny doesn't answer for a moment. The man smiles again, as he runs a hand slowly through his slick, shoulder length blonde hair. Franny watches him, but stays unmoving.  
  
"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. This is Duke. He's my dog. He must have smelled you or heard you crying, hun." The man says, slowly petting the dog's neck and head. "He's a rescue dog. He's been trained to find people who need help. He must have heard you and knew you needed help. Are you lost, little one?" The man says.  
  
Franny shrinks back more, but nods. "I can't find my mommy." She says. The man takes a moment, then smiles again. "Wait. I know you. Are you Franny? Your mommy is Debbie, right? Red hair?" The many says. Franny nods, still tucked in. But now almost behind the dumpster, at this point. The man stays where he is, not moving a muscle. "I know your mommy. And I know where your house is, Franny. It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I promise."

Franny slowly starts to relax, as the man extends a hand. "Can I take you home? To your mommy? Would that be okay?" The man says, softly. Franny shakes her head. "Mommy told me never to talk to strangers." The man smiles, and let's the moment hang, as Franny regards him. "That's very smart of you, Franny. And you're right. I am a stranger, but I do know your mommy, and I'd like to make sure you get home safe and sound, if that's okay? Will you let me take you home? Your mommy must be awful worried about you right now, babygirl."  
  
Franny slowly comes out from the side of the dumpster, and stands up, looking left and right, for a possible exit, as if she considered running. The man doesn't move, letting Franny move at her own pace, and trust. "I promise, I'm a good guy. You're safe with me, little one. Promise." Franny is very hesitant, but she mutters something that the man doesn't hear. "What did you say, hunny?" He says, softly. Franny regards him as she steps a tiny bit closer. "Pinky swear?" She says. The man smiles a bit, scratching the hair on his face softly, and wipes his hands on his blue jeans, then slowly holds his pinky out. "pinky swear." he says, as Franny slowly locks her pinky into his.  
  
"Mommy says you can't break a Pinky Promise, cause if you do bad things will happen." The man nods. "Your mommy is right, Franny. And she's very smart. I bet you're just as smart as her, if not smarter." Franny nods, slowly relaxing, but yet to fully trust this new person. But, she thinks to herself, he did Pinky Swear. And her Mommy did tell her that you're not allowed to break a Pinky Promise, after all.  
  
She calms a bit and asks, "Can I pet your dog, Mister?" The man looks to Duke, his dog, and nods. "Sure hun. He's harmless. I promise." Franny reaches out, stroking the dog's fur, and giggles. "He's soft!" She says, laughing, causing the man to chuckle a bit as well, as the dog reaches up and licks her face, causing her to giggle, much more relaxed now.  
  
"He's a good dog, had him for years. He's saved my life a few times, to be honest." The man replies, still petting the dog. "So, Franny, how about we get you home to mommy, huh? Can I help you get home, babygirl?" Franny thinks a second, and nods. The man slowly reaches a hand out, and Franny takes it, yawning still. The man smiles. "Can I pick you up and carry you? I'll be careful, I promise. And you've seemed to lost your shoes, baby." he says. Franny looks down and realizes she's barefoot, and in her blue Dora pajamas. She looks at the man and nods slowly. He reaches forward and softly picks her up, holding her up. "Duke, come." The man says, and the dog immediately, obediently starts walking with him.  
  
Franny watches the man softly, as he carries her. Looks around, trying to get her bearings. And she can't help but ask. "Hey, Mister. What's this mean?" She says, pointing to the patch she had seen earlier. The man looks down, and looks back at her as he asks, "Do you know what The Marines are, Franny?" She nods a tiny bit, then stops, and shakes her head. "Uncle Carl said they're like the Army, only pissies!" She said, giggling. The man chuckles a bit, seeming to understand that she meant the word "Pussies" but letting that remark slide. "Well Franny, The Marines are a part of the good guys. Remember I said I was a good guy?" 

She nods, as the man continues. "This patch." He points to it, with his free hand, "Is something that they only gives to good guys. So you know that you're safe with me, and I won't do anything bad." Franny seems to accept this, and nods, tucking herself closer to this man's shoulder, as they walk, and he carries her. Franny looks around, but doesn't seem to recognize any landmarks, or even know if they're going in the right direction.  
  
Franny's eyes go wide as she seems to realize something, that she had forgot to ask. "How do you know my mommy, Mister?" She says, softly, leaning against the man's shoulder, held in his arms, as her little hand makes a first and she chews on it lightly, seemingly calm but obviously a bit nervous still.  
  
The man smiles, as they leave the alley. "Well, Franny. It's because I'm family." Franny gets a curious look on her face and giggles. "Like Uncle Lip and Uncle Carl?"   
  
The man nods and chuckles a bit, as they continue walking. 

"Yes, Franny. I'm your Uncle as well. My name is Victor, but you can call me Vic."

* * *

  
**Up is down, day is night, when you're not there  
Oh, you're my only landmark, so I'm lost in the woods..**

**\- Jonathan Groff**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for Reading! Next chapter coming soon! Hope you enjoyed and again, Happy Labor Day!
> 
> (4,354 Words,  
> 23,823 characters)


	3. Maybe It's Not So Bad...Or Maybe It Is.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Franny's disappearance, the Gallaghers and company are scrambling to find her. Will they?
> 
> (TW: Some violent content and disturbing writing on this chapter. It won't be too heavy, but I wanted to put a warning right here. Violence, attempted sexual assault, etc. BE WARNED.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! It's Wednesday (9/9/2020) and I felt like writing! Hope you enjoy! Thank you all so far for the love, kudos, comments, and bookmarks! Ya'll make me blush! <3
> 
> P.S. I know these chapters have been a bit Vic heavy, and I apologize for that. But i don't want to go on and on in a single chapter, and bore you all with too much reading. I'm getting better at writing with every chapter, and will be bringing more conversation between The Gallaghers, Milkovich, and etc as we go along. This is going to be a semi big series of fictional work, so I'll be sure to include most of our favorite Shameless characters in SOME way. Even if it's just a passing mention.
> 
> Thank you for your patience!

* * *

**  
About an hour or so later...**

Lip sat at the kitchen table, in the Gallagher house, watching Fiona pace back and forth, making phone calls. He turns and sees Debbie, held in Sandy's arms as they stand, currently crying her eyes out. It's been God knows how long since Franny sleepwalked her way out the back door of their house, and they have yet to find her. Lip, Ian, Mickey, Sandy and Debbie all went different directions to try to find her, but no luck. They only came back to the house because Fiona mentioned calling the police, and even though Sandy and Mickey were against that, Debbie felt it might be necessary if they couldn't find her for much longer. But they all decided to exhaust every call they could first. Hell, even Veronica and Kevin had came over, as they all stood in the kitchen, with Carl here as well. Liam had to go to school, unfortunately, and Frank was...God knows where. Probably face down in the gutter somewhere. Who the hell knew, with his father?

Debbie continues sobbing into Sandy's shoulder, and all Lip can understand in between sobs is "We have to find her, we have to. She could be in trouble!" Truth be told, Lip can understand Debbie's fear and anxiety. If this was Freddy in this situation, he'd be turning the city upside down to find him. So Lip is probably the only one in the room now that could understand, sans maybe Kevin and Veronica. He watches as Veronica quickly walks over, a soft hand on Debbie's back. "It's going to be okay, Debbie. We'll find her. She's a good kid, she'll be okay until we find her." Debbie peeks out from Sandy's now tear stained flannel shirt, one eye peeking out at Veronica sadly. Veronica can only smile back, trying to be as comforting as possible, even though she's not that great at it. "I know it, Debs. She WILL be okay." V puts some emphasis on the 'Will' in that sentence, and Debbie can only meekly nod.  
  
"Well, have you seen her? Little redheaded girl, she's four years old. She was last seen in blue Dora pajamas. Answers to Franny? No? Okay. Shit. We'll keep trying. If anyone comes into the diner and mentions her, please call me. Thanks." Fiona hangs up and sighs, looking at everyone else in the room, and sadly shaking her head. "Nobody at Patsy's has seen her, or heard of anyone who did. GOD DAMN IT!" She yells, suddenly, dropping her phone onto the counter of the kitchen. "Someone has to have seen her."  
  
Debbie's head pulls away from Sandy, tears staining her cheeks. She didn't cry much anymore, but Franny? That was the one thing she was always worried about. And the one thing that could get her upset. "What if someone found her, Fi? What if it's one of these sex offender assholes around here? What if..." Her voice catches, as she tries to calm herself, but fails miserably. Fiona shakes her head, walking up to her. "You can't think like that, Debs. You're going to drive yourself insane. We have to have faith that we'll find her. And that she'll be okay." Fiona pulls Debbie into a hug, as well, as Debbie begins crying again. Fiona shoots a look to Lip, and he grabs his phone out of his pocket, and stands from the table.

"I'm going to call Tami and her family. See if we can't get them all to help look." Kevin nods. "That's a good idea, I'm going to round up everyone I can at the Alibi, offer free drinks for help, see if we can't get more bodies on this." Veronica and Fi nods. Carl opens the back door and half steps out of it. "I'm going to go look again, maybe go to the L and ask around." Mickey and Ian both nod and grab their jackets. "We'll go with you, soldier boy." Mickey says. Sandy reaches over, and grabs a small coat, Franny's size, and hands it to Ian. "If you find her, she's not wearing a coat right now, so...yeah. Just..please Ian...Mickey.." She says, softer this time to Ian..."Please find her." Ian nods and replies back. "Do the best we can. Promise."

As the boys step out, Lip and Kevin head out the front door, leaving Debbie alone with her V, Fiona and Sandy, as she cries.

* * *

  
Lip and Kevin head out the door, shutting it behind them with a semi hard slam, as Lip sits on the step, and starts dialing. Kevin turns to him, and speaks. "What do you think? Think she maybe went somewhere that she knows? like a playground or something? I know she sleepwalked and all but, don't most sleepwalkers go somewhere familiar, usually?" Lip shook his head, unsure. "I don't know, Kev. I hope so." He says, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it, before making the phone call. "I'm praying she's okay. I mean..I don't exactly believe in God or anything, but if he's listening..." Kevin nods, seeming to get the point. "I'm going to head to the Alibi. I'll be back soon to check and see if she came back."

Lip nods, then looks down at his phone, as Kevin turns and begins to walk. He dials Tami's number, but before he can hit the call button, Kevin's voice cuts in. "Uhhh, Lip?" He says. Lip looks up, and sees Kevin's back. "Kevin?" He says, before looking past him. He slowly stands up as he looks across the street, his eyes going wide. 

Standing there, is the man named Vic, who only a couple of weeks ago had shown up to their house, with men and guns, staring straight at the house. Only now, he's unarmed, except for the small child, with red hair and blue Dora pajamas, that he is holding in his arms. Kevin turns to Lip, shocked. "Is that Franny?" He asks, to which Lip quickly starts walking in their direction with speed and purpose. "Motherfucker." He says, with Kevin right at his heel.

Vic is standing there, with Franny in his arms, but she's now asleep against his shoulder. He holds her gently, careful not to drop her, as his heavy jacket is wrapped over her, keeping her warm. His dog, Duke, a German Shepard, sits at his feet. Lip makes a beeline, faster than he has ever walked, directly at him. "MOTHERFUCKER!" He yells, breaking into a sprint.  
  
"Hey! Hey hey hey wait!" Vic yells, causing Lip and Kevin to stop, in the middle of the street. Vic takes a second, and breathes, the cold air forming a mist, as he readjusts to make sure he has a grip on Franny. Duke, his dog, shoots up to it's feet, a low growl in it's throat. Vic looks down at his dog and says one word. "Heel." The dog looks up, confused, but sits down, still growling in that low growl.

The dog is one of the things that made Lip stop, as well as the fact that this Vic guy is currently holding his niece in his arms. Vic shakes his head a bit, at them both. "I didn't do anything to her. I found her in some alley, well...my dog sniffed her out. But she was terrified, and I calmed her down. I realized who she was, and I immediately brought her back here. I didn't hurt her, and I wouldn't. I swear, Lip."

Lip wasn't sure if this was true, or complete bullshit. But at this point, it didn't matter. He takes a few steps forward, with Kevin close behind. "You'll have to forgive me if I don't fucking trust you, considering the last time you were here it was guns, men in masks, and you beating the shit out of Frank." Vic nods in reply to that. "I get it. And you're right. You have NO reason to trust me. But I'm not here to do anything, or start any shit. I swear. She's a kid. I didn't want her in any danger last time, and I sure as shit don't want her in it now." 

Kevin, voice low, speaks into Lip's ear. "Tell me what the play is here, Lip." Lip takes a moment, and speaks. "If that's the case, then you have no problems handing her over, right?" Vic nods again. "No problem at all." Lip leans a bit to Kevin and whispers. "If he tries anything, get Franny and get her into the house, okay?" Kevin nods, as Vic lightly puts a hand on Franny's cheek, waking her up softly. "Hey kiddo. We're home." Vic says, voice barely above a whisper. Franny yawns as she looks around, then smiles. "Uncle Lip!" She squeals, in her childlike voice. Lip gives her a smile and replies softly, unmoving. "Hey, kiddo. Welcome home. We've been worried about you." 

Vic slowly starts to walk towards Lip as he speaks. "I'd let her walk to you but...she has no shoes on." He says. Lip nods, worry still on his face, as Vic gets within a few feet of them, and motions to Kevin. "Here." He says, as Kevin steps forward, arms out, and Vic hands Franny slowly to him, as she reaches over and and pulls herself into Kevin's arms. He turns and quickly starts heading, with Franny in tow, towards the house, eyeing Lip as he passes by. Franny's tiny hand waves at Vic as she goes. "Bye Uncle Vic! Thanks for getting me home!" She says. Vic smiles and nods. "No problem kiddo. Remember what I said, be good for your mommy!" With only a nod, and a yawn, Franny is carried towards the Gallagher house, and a few seconds later, Kevin disappears inside the house with her.

Lip turns, silent for a moment. "What's your fucking angle here, Vic?" He says, finally. Vic shakes his head, a hand going through his blonde hair. "I said it before. No angle. I just wanted to make sure she got home safe. That's it." Lip shakes his head in disbelief. "So you come around, pointing guns at us all, and you expect us to believe that you did this to be a fucking good person?" Vic stands there silently for a moment, then speaks. "My hatred is towards Frank, Lip. Not you, or your sister. And DAMN SURE not towards that child."

Lip takes a moment, processing it, then nods, thin lipped. "We'll see." He says, finally turning and walking back towards the house. He gets about three steps away, and but turns back as he hears Vic speak. "Lip." Vic says. "The guns....they weren't loaded." Lip looks incredulous. "What?" He says. Vic speaks again. "The guns weren't loaded. We just wanted to scare Frank enough so I can confront him. None of you were in any danger. I promise you."

Lip takes a moment, licking his lips and thinking. "Are you really his fucking kid?" He says, finally. It's still hard for him to believe it's true. But now, with no chaos, or men with guns, or fear, Lip takes a good, long look at Vic's face. And he realizes...Vic does look a lot like Frank, truth be told. 'So maybe he IS telling the truth,' Lip thinks to himself.

Vic nods. "Unfortunately." He says, eyes seemingly sad. Lip nods, and looks up and down the street. "Fine. Maybe you are. And maybe you did just want to help Franny. But..." he says, taking a step closer. "You put Tami in danger, and Fred. And if you ever do that again, I'll kill you my fucking self. Got it?" He says, anger in his voice. 

Vic nods. "Understood. It won't happen again." He says, finally turning, and with a whistle, Duke stands from the spot he was laying on at the sidewalk and follows Vic as he walks away.

Lip watches Vic walk off, and finally after a moment, muttering to himself. "Shit." He says.

He's not sure what the fuck to think, right now, as he turns and walks back into the house. All he knows right now, is he can hearing Franny giggling, and Debbie half crying in joy. He finally smiles, and feels himself relax, as he looks into the kitchen, and sees Debs sitting on a chair, with Franny pulled close, kissing her on the cheek over and over again, and hugging her tight.

Kevin walks up to him quickly. "He gone?" He asks. Lip nods. "Did you say anything?" Kevin shakes his head. "Not yet. Wanted to let Debbie have a moment to calm down now that we found Franny." Lip nods. Smart. "That's honestly a good idea." He says.

Debbie sits with Franny, and after a moment, finally breathes again, with everyone surrounding them in the kitchen, as Sandy sits next to them, running her fingers through Franny's hair, lovingly. "We were worried about you, squirt. Where were you? Are you okay, baby?" Franny nods, thinking for a moment, then smiles. "I woke up, Mommy Sandy, and didn't know where I was. But Uncle Vic helped me get home!"

Debbie eyes go wide as saucers, as she looks to Lip, who nods. 

"We should talk."

* * *

It's finally night time, as Debbie lies in bed, next to Sandy. Franny lay between them, tightly guarded by them both. There was no way Debbie was letting Franny sleepwalk away. Not tonight. Not ever again. Ian and Lip both went and got new locks for the kitchen and front room doors, to make sure Franny getting out wasn't something that happened again. Granted, it may be a fire hazard, but they're easy to unlock, as they are basically kid locks. All you have to do is press a button and they come off. But they're out of Franny's reach and she can't open them, so Debbie feels safer now, with them installed.

Sandy lay next to her, watching as Debbie softly stokes Franny's hair, as she sleeps, pressed against her mother. She sighs, then finally speaks, softly. "You think he's for real?" Debbie looks up to her lover, her girlfriend. "Who?" Sandy can only give her a look. "Vic. The..Vic guy." Debbie looks down to her daughter, thinking silently for a moment. "I don't know." Sandy sighs again. "What if he comes around again? Should he even be around? I mean, fuck...I know he brought Franny back, but..." Debbie cuts her off, softly. "He did. And honestly...I don't know, Sandy. Maybe he's not such a bad person? I mean, he could have easily kidnapped her, kept her to get back at Frank. But he didn't. And he didn't want her anywhere near us when he confronted Frank. So...I don't know. Maybe he's just only hates Frank? Which...let's face it, everyone does at some point."

Sandy's left hand reaches over, her fingers softly finding their way through Debbie's bright red hair, and down to her cheek. "I just don't want you, or Franny getting hurt because of some psychopath family member. I mean, let's say it's true. He found Franny by accident. That doesn't mean he didn't see an opportunity to take advantage of the situation, right?" Debbie stays silent for a moment, deep in thought. Sandy's hand moves down to her neck, gently caressing it with her thumb.

"Nobody in the south side does ANYTHING out of the goodness of their heart, Debs." She says, softly. "Hell, fuck the south side. Most people in general don't." Debbie shakes her head, softly. "I don't know, Sandy. Lip said he seemed like he genuinely wanted to help Franny. And, according to what he said, the guns they used that day he showed up and went after Frank weren't even loaded. What if he's telling the truth? What if he's nothing like Sammi, and maybe he's just someone who wanted to help? I mean, Franny seems to trust him, and she's always been taught to be wary of strangers, so...I don't know." She said, softly, finally going silent.

Franny let's out a soft moan and curls closer to Debbie, causing Debbie to smile a bit and lay a soft kiss on her tiny head. "I love you, babygirl." She says, as Sandy lays, considering her words. "I guess time will have to tell with him, huh?" Sandy says. Debbie nods, as Sandy leans closer, gently, as to not wake Franny, and kisses Debbie's lips for a moment. A soft sigh escapes Debbie as she kisses her girlfriend back.

"What was that for?" She says, as they finally break apart. Sandy just smiles. "What? I can't kiss my girlfriend?" She says. Debbie smiles wider. "I like when you call me that." Sandy curls her right arm underneath her head, for extra cushion. "Yeah? Get used to it, Red." She whispers, as she lays her left hand gently on Franny's side, guarding her. Debbie's hand folds on top of hers, finger interlocked.

Moments later, they both fall asleep, hands still locked together, and that smile still on Debbie's face.

* * *

**A little over a week later: (October 28th - 2020)**

It's been quiet again. Franny hasn't sleepwalked since that day she disappeared. Mostly because Debbie sleeps next to her in the bed, with Sandy in tow, and any time Franny moves, it wakes her up. So nothing of notice has happened since. Lip and Tami still argue, but it seems to have cooled a bit. Lip is almost finished fixing the house, Ian continues working, and the Gallagher's have lived their lives in relative peace, sans one or two bits of Frank drama. But nothing too serious, at the moment.

Even Fiona has started working again, finding another job as a waitress, at a diner that isn't Patsy's, as she longed burned that bridge. Fortunately, while she may have been fired before, she still had a few friends that were willing to help give her a reference on an application. Fiona found a nice little coffee shop, a few blocks away from Patsy's, that hired her. It was another 24 hour breakfast joint, and she had to work overnights, but she didn't care. Money was money, most of the Gallagher kids could take care of themselves and didn't depend on her anymore, and with the winter and holidays almost here, the Gallaghers needed as much cash as they could get.

It was on this night, that Fiona was working. It was a slow night, and no one was really ordering right now. No customers. In fact, outside of Fiona and the cook, Jorge, there really was no one else in the restaurant currently.

Fiona looks at the clock, sitting on the faded panel wall, as it ticks away. 1:22 AM. She breaths out, blowing a raspberry with her lips, and looks around. This place is definitely dead tonight. Fiona sighs, as she leans against one of the tables. "Shit. I know it's late, but you'd think someone would stumble their drunk, hungry ass in here."

"What did you say, Miss Fiona?" A voice asked, from back in the kitchen, as a young man in a cook apron comes out. Fiona shakes her head. "Nothing, Jorge." The young boy, Jorge, nods. "Okay, Miss Fiona. I'm going to take a smoke break, if that's okay?" Fiona nods. "That's fine, Jorge. I'll take mine after you come back in. Take your time. Doesn't seem to be anyone coming in. I'm going to clean a few tables, find something to do, at least." The boy nods as he turns. "Thanks, Miss Fiona." He says. Fiona smiles. "It's just Fiona, Jorge. No need for the Miss. We're not THAT formal, here." The boy stutters back. "Y.yes Miss..err...Fiona." he says, as he turns back, then heads out the back door to the alley.

Fiona sighs, quickly grabbing a wet rag, and wiping down tables. A few moments later, she hears the bell connected to the door go off. "Finally." She whispers to herself. "Just take a seat anywhere, I'll be right with you after I finish this table!" She says, not giving a look back, as she is in mid wipe. She hears a gruff voice nearby go "Sure." 

Fiona continues wiping, grabbing the salt and pepper shaker off the table to clean under it. Then she wipes down the seats, and the rest of the area the table is in.

Fiona stands up, finally, and turns, and her eyes go wide and she gasps in shock. Standing in front of her, are three men, and the one closest to her has a pistol held right to her face. "The money in the register. Now." He says, his voice deep. Fiona stands for a moment, shocked, her body not moving yet. That is, until the man with the gun reaches forward and grabs her by the hair, yanking her towards him hard. "I SAID..." His voice booms.

Fiona immediately goes into fight or flight mode. It's probably stupid, and she knows that she may get shot, but she can't help but fight. It's too deep into her blood. Part of being a Gallagher, she always figured. Her hands go up, punching and clawing. "Get the fuck off me, motherfucker!" She yells, fighting hard. She's always been a spitfire. 

The man grunts in pain as Fiona's nails finds his face, and his eye, as she scratches. He falls back, releasing her, as a second man reaches forward and grabs her, throwing her against the table she just cleaned, hard. Fiona's breath flies out of her chest as she gasps, trying to catch it back. As she turns, the man backhands her HARD. Her head snaps back, as she falls, stars in her eyes, as her vision blurs. 

"Stupid fucking bitch." The first man, the scratched man says. "Should have just given us the money." He grabs Fiona by the throat, and slams her onto the table, choking her hard. Fiona gasps, her nails clawing at this man's arms. He laughs a bit, a small trickle of blood running from his eye. His right hand makes a fist, as he pulls Fiona to her feet, and punches her directly in her stomach. Fiona lurches forward, all the noise in her throat escaping her, as she bends forward in pain. He's so strong. She can't fight back anymore.

The man grabs her by the throat again, and trips her up, slamming her to the floor. Fiona's head cracks the hard tile floor as her vision blurs, and darkens. She can barely hear the man speak. It's as if she's swimming underwater.

The man laughs, now. "Should have done as we asked, bitch. Now you have to pay for it." He nods to one of his fellow robbers. "Get the cash." The man says, as robber #2 heads to the cash registers. The first man, the one who slammed Fiona, laughs again as he reaches down into his pockets, and brandishes a small pocket knife. "Now we're going to have some fun, slut." He says, his voice a dangerous tone.

Fiona's eyes swim and her vision is dark, but she sees the knife, and weakly tries to fight, as she sees the knife go into her shirt, and hears it tearing through it. "No..no..please." She pleads. The man just laughs.

Suddenly a crash is heard, and Fiona hears a voice yell "GET 'EM!" as the man stands up quickly. "What the fuck?" He yells. Fiona eyes are still blurry, and she can barely make out what's happening, but she sees something like...a dog? It jumps off of one of the chair seats and is IMMEDIATELY on the robber who attacked her, snarling and biting, latched onto his arm. The robber's gun fires, causing Fiona to cringe in fear, but she sees that the shot missed, hitting the ceiling. The dog is tearing at the man's arm, as he screams, and tries to pull away from it. Blood flies everywhere, and Fiona can see the man has a deep bite wound on his arm.

She honestly hopes this dog kills him, at this point.

Another crash, and Fiona starts to slowly, painfully, try to roll to her side, and pull herself away. The dog takes the man to the ground, biting, wrenching and snarling. Fiona looks past the dog, and as her vision gets even more blurry, she sees a man in a dark jacket, fighting the other two robbers. He disarms robber #2 easily, wrenching his arm, making a sickening crack the as robber #2 screams, and the man uses his gun to shoot the third robber in the knee. The man cries out in pain, as he falls, and the man fighting them quickly grabs the second robber, the one he disarmed, and slams him into a table, head first. Fiona watches as the table makes a sickening cracking sound, and a large corner breaks off as the robber's head goes through it. The man turns, and grabs one of the trays holding the menus off of another table and throws it, HARD, at the man, hitting him dead in the face, knocking him out.

Fiona keeps pulling herself away, watching the dog snarl, it's snout and jaws coated in blood as the man screams. "AGGGHH!! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!" He yells, but the dog is NOT showing any mercy. The man who is helping quickly runs up, whistling as he does. And only THEN does the dog release his grip on the lead robber. The robber with the gun and knife has zero time to react as the guy helping throws a kick into his face, at running speed.

Fiona swears she heard the man's jaw break.

The lead robber is instantly knocked out, as the man's momentum carries him past the guy. The Good Samaritan turns, his back to Fiona. Fi looks up, vision still blurry, as her head hurts and she struggles to stay awake, and all she sees is the man towering over the unconscious robber, breathing heavily. She looks at the back of the man's leather jacket, and sees a large patch. It's a skull, with wings, and a dagger going through the top of it's head. Written on a banner underneath the skull, it says "DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR" with each word residing in a different part of the banner.

Fiona can only mutter a weak "please," but it causes the man to turn. He doesn't move for a moment, and Fiona's eyes are now so blurry that she can't make out his face. She sees him turn towards the door, in the back, as she hears it open. Jorge. Shit. 'Please don't let this guy do anything to the kid' she thinks, to herself. But she breathes a sigh of relief as she hears the man yell "Hey, kid! Call 911 and tell them to bring the cops and an ambulance! She's pretty hurt! GO QUICK!" 

Fiona hears Jorge's shoes squeak as he turns and runs to the phone. Her vision clears a bit, as the man finally leans down and put a hand on her shoulder softly. "Fiona. Don't move, okay?" He says. "How do you know...my name?" Is all Fiona can ask, her voice even weaker as she feels herself fading.  
  
Fiona looks up, into the man's face, finally. And her eyes go wide in shock, and she gasps. She recognizes him.

It's the man who came to the house and attacked Frank. The man who helped Franny.

"V..Vic." Is all Fiona can say, before her vision finally goes fully dark, and she passes out.

* * *

**Can you hear the silence?  
Can you see the dark?  
Can you fix the broken?  
Can you feel, can you feel my heart?**

**\- "Can You Feel My Heart" - Bring Me The Horizon**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading the next chapter! It was a little hectic, coming up with a good story for this chapter, but let me know what you think, please! I could always use the advice! Also apologies for the violent content, but Shameless has always been a dark show, as well as a comedy, and I figured I could set a good scene with that robbery, but still be tasteful. Apologies if it offends or triggers anyone. I did put a TW at the beginning, to let people know.
> 
> See you all next chapter!
> 
> (4,619 Words, 24,852 characters this chapter!)


	4. One Hell of A Coincidence.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the robbery at the diner unfolds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (9/12/2020) Hi, everyone! Felt like banging a chapter out tonight! This chapter will be shorter, as will all future chapters, more than likely. Enjoy!

* * *

**Moments Later:**

Fiona awoke, to a bright light in her eyes, blinding her. Her head ached, but she pulled herself up, into a sitting position. "Wha..what's going on?" She asked, before feeling a hand on her shoulder, trying to push her back down. Fiona looks up and sees a man in a blue EMT shirt, seemingly tending to her. "Miss." He says. "Don't move, please. We are still not sure how hurt you are." Fiona pushes his hand away, looking around now, and sees the diner flooded with policemen and EMTs. Her eyes widen as she remembers what happened, as she attempts to get to her feet.

"I'm fine. I don't need help." She says. The EMT tries to protest but she shakes it off, even though she stumbles a little, on her feet. Fiona leans against a nearby diner table, to steady herself. "I said I'm fucking fine. I don't need someone to look at me. And I damn sure am not paying for you to look at me either." She remarks. Her eyes surveil the scene, as she centers herself on her feet. She feels a bit dizzy, but she can't help but be wide eyed at the chaos in the diner now. The robbers are being tended to by EMTs, sure, but now they are all in handcuffs. Fiona suddenly remembers something, and looks down at her semi ripped shirt, anger coursing through her brain.

"Motherfuckers." She mutters. The EMT tending to her makes a comment about her being attacked, hitting her head, and a concussion, and Fiona struggles to remember. She remembers her attack and the robbery, but then it was all fuzzy. She glances outside and her eyes go wider as she sees someone, and suddenly her memories snap back to her. Vic is standing outside, talking to the police, probably giving a statement. His dog, the German Shepard, is sitting faithfully at his side, though it's face and snout are covered in blood.

A voice cuts into Fiona's thoughts, and she turns, seeing a half portly police officer standing in front of her. Officer Ridges, the name tag says. Fiona shakes her head a bit, trying to knock the cobwebs away. "What?" She says. The officer looks at her like he has ANYTHING better to do but be here. "I said, Ma'm, that we need to get your statement, after the EMTs check you out." The medic stands up, a younger Asian man, only a bit taller than Fiona, and speaks. "She's refusing treatment, Officer." The cop turns and looks at him, then back at Fiona. "Is this true, Ma'm?" He says. Fiona nods. "You wanna pay the fucking bill? I don't have the insurance."

The officer, with a look, regards the medic and speaks. "We can't make her go, man." The Medic shakes his head and looks at Fiona. "You may have a concussion, Ma'm. You can refuse help, but it's not a good idea, and you may have a brain injury or worse." Fiona nods. "Understood. But I'm still saying no." The Medic sighs, as if he has heard this before, and shakes his head again. "Ok, Miss. That's your right. It's against medical advice, but it is your right." Fiona nods as she walks past the medic towards the door, as she grabs her cell phone and makes a call.

"Debbie. Hey, it's Fiona. Listen. I need someone to come to the diner. We were just robbed and I was attacked. What? I'm fine, but I hit my head and feel dizzy. No..I'm not going to the fucking hospital. Just...get here, as soon as you can, please? You and Sandy? Okay. You remember where the diner is? I still have to give a statement to the cops. Bring an extra shirt of mine too while you're at it, please? Thank you, Debbie. Yeah. Okay. Talk soon. Bye." Fiona hangs up, and sighs, as she heads towards the officer who spoke to her before.

* * *

**Moments Later:**

  
It takes a bit, but Fiona finally gives a statement, from the robbery, to Vic's intervention, to passing out. The officer jots down notes, here and there. Fiona rolls her eyes, not fully understanding why she needs to waste her time with this. After a moment or two more, she hears the bell ring, and the door to the diner open, and she looks up and sees her sister, and Sandy Milkovich in tow. "Fiona?" Debbie asks, walking up to her and giving her a hug. "Hey. It's alright. I'm okay." She says, pulling her sister close and hugging her tight. "Just a bump on the head. I'll be fine." She says.

Debbie pulls back, as Sandy asks "What the fuck happened?" Fiona shakes her head. "Assholes with guns. Thinking they could hit the register. Boy were they in for a surprise." Fiona's eyes go wide, and she looks outside, but most of the cops have left, taking the robbers with them. Fiona turns to the officer asking questions and she can't help but ask. "Hey, is the guy that helped me still here?" The officer looks up from his notepad and shrugs. "Not sure, Ma'm. Probably not. They probably sent him packing so we can clear the scene and all." The officer shuts his notepad and sighs. "Well, we have most of what we need to keep these guys in jail for a good long time, so your statement will probably not be needed. But stick around and don't leave town or anything, cause we might need your testimony, just in case."

Fiona nods, a bit sarcastically. "Wouldn't dream of it. Thanks, officer." She says, as the policeman walks away to tend to other things. Debbie leans in a bit. "Man?" She says. Fiona clears her throat, pulling Debbie away from the noise a bit, with Sandy following. She eyeballs Debbie a bit, as Debs stands there, confused.

"Vic." She says.

Debbie's look is one of bewilderment, as Fiona notices Jorge, the cook, walking towards them. "Are you serious?" Debbie asks. Sandy shakes her head. "Motherfucker." Debbie turns, confused. "What?" Sandy wags a finger in her direction. "Hundred bucks says he set this whole thing up." Debbie gives her an exasperated look. "Really, Sandy? He hired people to rob this place so he can...what? Save the day?" Sandy nods. "Dude. Too much coincidence. Returning Franny and now this?"

Debbie looks at Fiona. "She has a point, actually." Fiona finally turns, as Jorge makes it to them. "Jorge. What happened after I passed out?" The young man stands there a moment, thinking. "Well, I called the cops while Vic dragged the guys together and kept an eye on them until cops got here, basically. It didn't take them long to get here."

Fiona eyeballs him. "Vic? You know the guy?" Jorge nods. "Yes, Miss Fiona. He comes in some times, at night. Sits, reading a book and drinking coffee, brings his dog in. I guess the dog is like one of those...assistance dogs, or something?" Fiona blinks once, then again. "He's been here before?" Jorge nods. "Yes, Ma'm. Says he likes the quiet at night. I guess he's some kind of military vet. A Marine. Was overseas for a long time, Janie told me he has trouble sleeping at night, so that's why he comes in a lot." 

Fiona nods. Janie is another waitress who, was fortunately, off shift tonight. Fiona sighs "So Janie knows him?" Jorge nods. "Yeah, she's kind of got a crush on him or something, but the dude doesn't really pay attention to it. Come to think of it, last time he was here, I talked to him myself, and he said something about how he found some family he'd been looking for, and was going to contact them soon."

Fiona turns, looking dead at Debbie and Sandy. "Gee, sounds swell." She remarks, sarcastically. Debbie can only shake her head, as Sandy sighs.

* * *

**Quite a Few Days Later: (November 5th, 2020)**

Fiona sits on the L train, as it pulls out of the station. She's sitting in one of the seats, by herself, currently. Knowing her luck, though, some smelly asshole will probably sit right next to her, squeezing her against themselves, and the window. Fiona sighs, as the train moves. She's recovered pretty well so far, since the attempted robbery. She still has a small bruise on her cheek, but it's healing fairly quickly. Her head hurts less, and she isn't nearly as dizzy as she was the next day. The next day sucked. She had to stay awake most of the night, only getting to sleep maybe twelve or so hours later, as she couldn't really stay awake any longer. She came out of it lucky. A head injury with a mild concussion could have done a lot worse to her, she realized.

Fiona sighs, as the train rolls on. A few moments later, it comes to another stop. Fiona sits, looking down at her phone. There wasn't much in the way of news about the robbery. Just another group of assholes doing wrong in the South Side. Fiona shakes her head. Truth be told, she prefers to not have news on the diner plastered all over the TV and nightly news channels. Fiona sighs as the doors open at the next stop, as she looks up. Her eyes go wide as what she sees gives her pause.  
  
A goddamn German Shepard, in an assistance vest, comes trotting in to the train, followed by that same son of a bitch who has been haunting the Gallaghers for the past few weeks. Fucking Vic. It's Vic, her supposed half brother. Fiona shakes her head, her hand rubbing the bridge of her nose, in annoyance. "Of fucking course he would." She says.

But then she stops. Maybe this is the chance she needs? The chance to finally talk to this guy, guns and chaos and insanity aside, and find out if everything he said was true? Fiona sighs, as she waits, watching Vic look around. Finally, her supposed half brothers eyes fall on her. And he cannot, in any way, shape or form, hide his surprise at being caught off guard. Fiona nods, and all Vic can do is look around nervously, and give a small, sarcastic smile.

Fiona's head nods towards the doors, as the train takes off again, as to indicate that she's getting off at the next stop. Vic takes a moment, seemingly thinking, and nods. It doesn't take but a few more moments, and they reach the next stop. Fiona stands up, grabbing her bag, as she regards Vic, and waits for the doors to open. Finally, after a second, they do, and Fiona keeps her eyes on Vic, who turns and starts heading out the doors, as she steps out.

The hustle and bustle of people moving in and out of the trains stops them both from moving much, as Vic stands there with his dog. It takes a moment or two, but eventually all of the people around them find where they are going, leaving only Vic and Fiona standing there, as Fiona starts walking in his direction, stopping within a few feet of him.  
  
"Well, look. It's my knight in shining armor." Fiona remarks, a half joking tone to her voice. Vic shakes his head. Fiona laughs, a dry chuckle. "I meant the dog, actually." She remarks. She looks down at Duke, sitting next to Vic's foot. "Thanks, buddy." She says, giving it a small pat on the head. The dog whines, looking up at it's Master. Vic sighs. "Yeah...about that. I guess we were just in the right place at the right time, and all."  
  
Fiona stands, eyeing Vic carefully. "Well, you saved my ass, honestly. So I appreciate it. Even if you DID come barging into my house before with guns drawn. But I hear those weren't loaded...so?" Fiona let's the question hang, as Vic sighs again, a longer, louder one. "Yeah, I guess I did. I'm um...I'm sorry about that, Fiona." He says. Fiona shakes her head. "You helped Franny. Kept her from getting grabbed by God knows who. So I think that makes us alright in my book. Maybe. I'm not sure yet. Jury is still out, for now."

Vic relaxes a bit, and smiles a small smile. Fiona has seen that smile before. It's Frank's. 'God,' Fiona thinks, as she stares into his face, studying his features, 'Lip was right. He really DOES look a lot like Frank.' Fiona shakes her head, finally, as she shifts her bag over her shoulder. "Look, Vic. I don't know what your deal is, or why you're sniffing around the South Side. Or hell, why you hate Frank so much, but you know what? If you really ARE my brother? Maybe we should talk a bit, you know?"

Vic stares at Fiona for a moment, seemingly in thought. It makes her uneasy, for a quick second. Then Vic nods his head, and speaks. "Alright. What are you thinking?" Fiona smiles a bit, perking up. "Want to get a beer, or coffee, or whatever? My treat?" Vic considers for another moment, then nods. 

"Yeah, sure. I think you're right. I have some explaining to do, and maybe some catching up, too. Lead the way, Fiona."

* * *

**Stay with me, don't let me go  
Because there's nothing left at all  
Stay with me, don't let me go  
** **Until the Ashes of Eden Fall..**

**"Ashes of Eden" - Breaking Benjamin**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Thanks for reading! Next chapter will probably be posted next weekend!)
> 
> 2,246 words  
> 12,168 characters this chapter.


	5. The Many Sins of One Frank Gallagher

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth behind Vic's anger and hatred at Frank is finally revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, everyone! It's now 9/17/2020 and I felt like putting out the next chapter. Enjoy! Note: I don't have much time today so this will be a super short chapter. But I wanted to get the convo between Vic and Fiona out while it was still in my head.
> 
> Going to warn you now: Some dark themes ahead. So TW: Character Death, Cancer conversation, etc. Please be warned.
> 
> Thank you all, again for continuing to support this writing with your comments, kudos, bookmarks, and love! <3 <3 <3

* * *

**A bit of time later:**

He sits, hands spinning a coffee cup slowly, in the middle of a semi-busy diner in the south side of Chicago. The coffee lets off steam, still hot to the touch. He sighs, and takes a quick sip, letting it burn down his throat, welcoming the heat. Vic sits, across from Fiona Gallagher, and looks to his right, seeing his dog, Duke, laying on the floor next to his feet, faithfully. The noise masks the silence between them, a welcoming touch. He's always dreaded this day. He knew one day that he'd have to talk about it. But he never thought it'd be to a sibling, who, as he looks up, is currently taking a bite of a peach pie in front of her.  
  
Fiona chews absentmindedly, then points her fork in Vic's direction, speaking. "So...is your last name even Gallagher? I never thought to ask that until now." Vic shakes his head. "Burns. I changed it after Frank left, when I hit eighteen. Mom's maiden name." He says. Fiona chuckles a bit. "Wait. Your name is Victor Burns? Sounds like a bad guy in one of those pro wrestling shows, or something." Vic gives her a look of exasperation. "Oh gee, thanks FIONA." He says, putting an emphasis on her name. Fiona chuckles a bit. "Hey, Fiona is a nice name, thank you." Vic smiles in response, that same smile Fiona saw earlier that reminds her so much of Frank. She lays her fork down on the plate, all sense of humor gone now.  
  
"So...tell me, Mr. Burns." Fiona speaks, seemingly casual in her voice. "All this time. Almost twenty years, you had told Frank, if I remember right. Why did you come back? Why look for him? I mean...Frank is an asshole, absolutely. He's done more than his share of fucking us all over. But...was it really so bad that you came after him so many years later? Why not forget that he existed? Move on? Start a family or whatever the fuck, you know?"  
  
Vic sighs, his fingers spinning that half empty coffee cup again. He doesn't speak for a moment, letting the silence hang. Then, finally. "I just...couldn't. Not after what he did." Fiona sits a few seconds, not speaking. Then finally, her curiosity gets the best of her. "What did he do?" She says. Though she wonders if that dread in the back of her mind should have been warning enough to keep her from asking that question.

Vic finally leans back, one hand still on the cup. He sighs. A long, painful, sigh. As if he was pulling everything directly from his chest itself. "Frank was...married, to my mom." Fiona's eyes go wide, as she shakes her head. "Are you sure?" Vic sighs again, longer this time. "Honestly, I don't even know at this point, Fiona. He's lied so much, and seems to be so good at it, who knows? I know there was a wedding, and a ring. And my mom believed it. But there were days he was gone. He always said it was "For business reasons." Work and all. I was always suspicious of that. But...Lily, my mother, was always happy with him, so she never questioned it. And I never really tried to find out."  
  
Fiona shakes her head. "Jesus. He's supposed to be married to Monica." Fiona looks up, and sees pain suddenly flash in Vic's eyes. She sighs, a sad look on her face. "I'm sorry. Monica...our mom, died awhile back. So I wish I could give you more answers to that, Vic." Vic just shakes his head. "It's fine." 

Vic takes a sip of coffee again, gathering his courage. "It wasn't the fact that he was married to...whoever, and lying. It was what happened later." Vic seems to steel himself for a moment, and then continues. "I was fifteen, when mom got diagnosed." Fiona's eyes go wide. "Terminal Cancer. Stage 4. It had spread from Breast Cancer to other areas of her body. They gave her eight to twelve months. But...she was a fighter. She was...strong." Vic says, eyes suddenly watering a bit. Fiona's face drops, and she can only whisper. "I'm sorry."  
  
Vic sniffs a bit, shaking his head. "It's alright." He continues. "She um...she wanted to fight. She was optimistic. Claimed she was going to "Kick Cancer's ass." and all. She was ready to fight." Vic smiles, seemingly remembering. "She was always a spitfire. Frank used to call her "'Ol Piss and Vinegar," which, annoyed her, but she...she loved him, so she let him have that. But she was a fighter, man. She took no shit from ANYONE. Period."   
  
Vic sighs again, shakily. "That was...until she told Frank about the Cancer. She sat him down and told him, and...he lost his shit. He knew that he'd have to actually take some fucking responsibility for once, and help out. And he just...refused." 

A waitress comes back, and refills Vic and Fiona's coffee, as they sit for a moment, silent. The look of shock on Fiona's face is apparent, though. After the waitress leaves, Fiona leans forward. "Vic...you don't have to talk about this if you don't want." But Vic just shakes his head. "No." He says, resolute. "I need to. You need to know." Fiona sits back a moment, and nods, preparing herself for what she feels, in her bones, will be the worst.

He takes a drink, and continues. "We came home from the doctors the next night to Frank packing everything he had into a bag. He was ranting at us, talking about how selfish we were to put all the burden on him. He..." Vic stops, taking a breath in anger. "He just...left, Fiona. Hopped into a fucking car and took off. I...chased after him on foot but he left. He never came back." Vic sighs, rubbing his fingers on the bridge of his nose, as if he suddenly had a migraine, speaking on all of this. "Mom...she lost all the will to fight. All of it. She just...didn't want to go through with it, without Frank. She loved him, so much. God fucking knows why. I never understood it, to be honest." He sighs. "But, she just...gave up."  
  
Fiona sits, silently, mournfully, as she listens to Vic continue. "She stopped seeing the doc, told him she didn't want to fight a losing battle. Was going to go live her life, what she had left. She uhh..." He chokes up a bit, voice shaky and breaking. "It was bad. She didn't last six months. The Cancer just...ate her alive, Fiona. I begged her. I BEGGED her, to get help. But she just...would smile, tell me she loved me, and shake her head." Vic's fingers trace the table, as he drudges up these old memories, one finger softly pressed against the cold wood. "Near the end, she could barely speak. I tried everything I could do to help but, we barely have any family. She had one sister she was estranged from. She didn't care."  
  
Vic sighs. "In the end, she passed. And I was left alone. I, um..." Vic takes a moment to compose himself, as he takes a sip of coffee and continues. "I went into the system. Fifteen years old. Scared out of my fucking mind. The only person I ever loved or cared about was dead, and my father was gone." Fiona shakes her head, and she can't help her hand from laying over Vic's. "I'm sorry, Vic. He...I can't believe he..." Fiona stops herself. Actually, yes she can. Frank has been known for many things. Being a massive piece of garbage was always at the top of that list. "So you never saw him again until recently?" 

Vic shakes his head. "I saw him one other time. A month or so later, after Mom died. Our lawyer was dividing up all her assets and stuff. Frank showed up." Fiona shook her head, leaning back angrily. "That makes sense. When money is involved, you can always count on Frank to get caught sniffing around." Vic smiles a bit. "Mom gave me most everything. Frank got a few things, but...I got the bulk of everything. Maybe it was her way of saying "Fuck you" from beyond the grave. I don't know. I remember, he was so angry. I remember him cussing at me, as I tried to get at him, and it took mom's lawyer and a few other people to hold me back. I was just...I wanted to kill him, Fi." Vic said, face contorted angrily. "I wanted him dead. Kind of still do." Vic takes another sip. "He was with a blonde. I found out he had met her at some fucking concert he went to or something. I don't know for sure."  
  
Fiona gasps, eyes wide. "Monica." She says. "Jesus Christ. Of course he brought Monica, that's just like Frank." Vic gives Fiona a look, like he understands. "They took off. And...I was left alone, for good. I went into a group home. Got my ass beat every day, almost. I got into a lot of trouble. I just...I dunno. I changed overnight, I guess. I was just so angry at everything. Got busted breaking into a store at sixteen, with some friends. Did some time in a Juvenile Hall. Hit eighteen and got into a fight. Was going to go to jail for it. But the judge gave me a choice. Military, or jail. I didn't want to go to jail, so I went into the military."  
  
Fiona takes another bite of her pie, eyes watching Vic. "Did it help?" Vic nods. "Yes, actually. It gave me a purpose. Allowed me to deal with my anger a bit, surprisingly. Gave me focus. And...well, skills, as you saw a few nights ago at the diner." Fiona laughs a bit. "No shit. Damn, those moves. I think those guys are going to regret ever fucking with you." Vic smiles, for the first time in awhile. "I stayed in the military until recently." He says. "What happened?" Fiona asks. Vic sighs, and shrugs. "Got shot. We were clearing out an area. We suspected we'd get trouble, but one of the enemy combatants, as we called them, pulled a gun as we were tossing the house, and shot me three times."  
  
Vic pulls his shirt down a bit, revealing a large, healed up scar on his left shoulder. "Hit me in the shoulder, stomach and knee. Fucked my knee all up. I had to have surgery. That was...maybe a year or so ago. Spent some time healing, and in rehab. Hell I'm still rehabbing it, truth be told. I guess...the Marines just decided that I had been there so long that it was easier to discharge me than keep me on. So they gave me a few medals and cut me loose into the world. And here I am, that scared kid, all over again, trying to find my place in the world."  
  
Fiona laughs a bit. "Only now you're a certified killer with a grudge for family." Vic smiles a bit and shakes his head. "Just for Frank. I...I didn't know what to expect when I walked into your house that day. And, again, Fiona. I am really sorry for scaring the shit out of you all. I..I didn't mean for it all to go down like that. I thought Frank would be alone." Fiona shakes her head. "Not the first time someone has pointed a gun at anyone in the family. And honestly, the fact that you had Tami keep the kids out of it...means a lot, to all of us, Vic. And...I get the anger now. Why you hate him so much. You have EVERY right to, honestly." Vic looks down, solemnly. "I know. I just...I found him by complete coincidence, and when I found out he had family, and I had brothers and sisters, I..I didn't feel so alone anymore." Vic shakes his head, chuckling. "I'm sorry. I know, it sounds stupid, but when Frank stood in front of me and his only words were "I have a family..." I just...I fucking lost it, you know."

Fiona shakes her head. "Nah. It's not stupid. Not really. Honestly, Vic, for a long time, like, most of my fucking life, my brothers and sisters were EVERYTHING to me. Eventually they grew up a bit and I realized that I had to take some time, and find myself. So...I left. I ran into some money, hopped a plane and took off. Went and saw the world." Vic nods, sipping his coffee. "How'd that work out for you?" he asks, slyly. Fiona just sighs. "Not so well. I ran out of cash. Spent it on some bullshit scheme that turned out to be a scam. Had just enough money to come home, tail between my legs, like a fucking whipped dog." Vic nods. "But you're back. And at least you have family."  
  
Fiona nods. "Yeah, maybe. But most of them are grown up, and don't need me anymore." Vic shakes his head. "They're family, Fiona. They'll always need you. In some form or another." She sighs, as she takes another hit from her cup. "You know, for the longest time, all I wanted was to be my own person. Be free of having to be the "Mom" of the family. Be free of all the responsibility that got dropped into my lap by Frank and Monica. Now? Now I couldn't imagine not being around my family. If there's a God, he's fucking laughing right now."  
  
Vic slowly looks down at the table again. "Yeah, well, if there is a God, he's an evil son of a bitch, I think." Fiona just nods. "Hear, hear." She stops a moment, and quieter now, speaks. "Vic. Frank...he abandoned us all, in some way or another. Yours is, honestly, I think, the worst way. But...he's abandoned all of us. You're not alone, Vic. I promise. And...well, we may not be close. Not yet, at least, but if you need someone...I'm here." Vic looks up, into Fiona's eyes, shocked a bit. "Well...I...thanks, Fiona. And, honestly, I DO want to get to know the rest of you all. I just...I don't know. I worry that I fucked my chance up with a bad first impression."

Fiona shakes her head. "You didn't. They may be a little leery of you, at first, but Debbie is grateful for what you did for Franny, so you at least have TWO people on your side now." Vic smiles, a small smile. "I appreciate that, Fi." he says. The waitresses comes back over, with their check, and Vic takes it. Fiona huffs a bit. "I did say my treat, right?" Vic laughs a bit. "I thought you said you came back cause you were broke?" Fiona gets a shocked look, then laughs. "Okay, asshole. Fine." Vic smiles back. "Consider it my official apology for that first impression." That causes Fiona to grin. "You're going to need something a little harder and with more alcohol in it, to get full forgiveness here." Vic laughs a bit back. "Alright. I'll make note of that."

They pay the check, with Vic leaving a pretty good sized tip on the table. Vic opens the door for Fiona, allowing her to walk out first. "A true gentleman" She quips, causing Vic to shake his head in playful annoyance. "Yeah, yeah, yeah." He retorts. As they stand on the street, Fiona gets an idea, and turns around to Vic. "Hey, Vic. Why don't you come by the house sometime this week?" Vic's eyes go wide a bit. "Maybe get off on a better foot? Make a proper introduction? I'll let everyone know that you might pop in. Would you be willing to do that?" Vic considers it, then nods. "Okay, Fi. I can do that. But I need you to promise something." Fiona nods. "Sure."

Vic thinks a moment, before speaking. "Keep our conversation about what Frank did between us, please?" Fiona's head tilts, and she gets an unsure look on her face. "Ok. Why?" Vic just shrugs. "I just. I want to be the one to tell them all, when they ask. And I'm sure they will, eventually." Fiona nods, seemingly understanding. "Ok. But promise me you'll stop by the house and meet everyone. No guns, no drama. Just...a brother meeting his family." Vic nods. Fiona stops a moment, moving a step closer, as she pulls out a piece of paper and pen from her bag, writing something down. "Here, just, give me a call if you need anything. Alright Vic?" She hands the paper with her number on it to Vic, and he pockets it. Fiona smiles a bit, and shrugs.  
  
"I'll talk to you later, okay?" Vic nods. "Thanks, Fi, for this. For...understanding, and letting me say my peace." Fiona nods. "No problem." She says, as she turns. "Hey, Fiona!" Vic calls out, stopping her, as she turns back. Vic sighs a moment, then speaks. "I don't want Frank there when I come over, okay?" Fiona stands a moment, thinking. "I can't promise that. Frank's sneaky as shit. Guy pops in whenever he wants, no matter how much we throw him out." Vic sighs. "Oh. Good." He quips. Fiona just laughs.  
  
"Catch ya later, Vic!" She yells, as she takes off walking down the sidewalk, a hand waving behind her.  
  
"Yeah, see ya, Sis." Vic remarks, as he whistles, and Duke walks with him in the opposite direction.  
  


* * *

**And when the answer that you want...  
Is in the question that you state...  
Come what may...  
Come what may...**

**"Blood Red Summer" - Coheed and Cambria**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2,939 Words  
> 15,721 Characters this chapter.
> 
> Catch ya on the next one!


	6. Recompense

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic takes Fiona up on her offer. But will the rest of the Gallagher family be as welcoming?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone! It's Saturday! (9/19/2020) and I felt like getting another chapter out. Going to try to get at least one chapter a week from now on, but if I have time on Wednesdays, I might do two! Who knows? I'm controlled by my muse, and right now it's firing on all cylinders lol. Enjoy and thank you all so far for the love!

* * *

**A Few Days Later: (November 9th, 2020)**

Vic stands in front of the door of the Gallagher house. A long sigh escapes him. He wondered if this moment would ever come, and now it's here. He mulled over Fiona's offer, to come visit the Gallagher family and make amends. Maybe start again, on the right foot this time. He thought about it, long into nights, losing some sleep over it. He definitely worried that walking into this house might cause some chaos again. But, in the end, Vic decided that the best possible course to be on, was to take Fiona up on her offer, and see if he can truly make amends towards his brothers and sisters.

So now, here he stands, as he knocks on the door. Vic cringes a bit, as he hears a female voice yell "Hold on a minute!" More so nervous as anything else, Vic waits a moment. He hears the door unlatch, locks being unlocked, and suddenly the door opens wide. Debbie Gallagher steps into the doorframe, and her eyes go wide. "Um...hi, Debbie." Vic says, sheepishly. "Vic." She says, a hint of wariness in her voice. "Fiona told us you might be stopping by, some time." Vic nods. "Yeah, um..is she here?" Debbie shakes her head. "No, she's at work." Vic nods, slower this time. "Oh." He says, even more nervously.  
  
Debbie stands, in the cold of November's winter, in the doorframe of the house. Vic's eyes zero in on a small spot on the doorframe, as he shuffles nervously. It's a tense, silent, awkward moment, until Debbie finally sighs. "Vic. Look." She says, causing Vic to look up at her, taking his eyes off the spot he was staring at. "Fiona asked us to...fuck, I don't know, give you a chance, and all. And you DID help Franny. Though Sandy thinks you just did that for your own benefit. I'm not super sure, but...I'm willing to let bygones be bygones and all, if you are?" Debbie's face suddenly seemed hopeful, which was surprising to Vic.

He nods. "Yeah. I...I'm really sorry about that, Debs. Truly. It was chaotic, and I just wanted to get at Frank, and things got twisted. But...it's my fault that things went the way they did, so, I apologize." Debbie nods, her red hair bobbing a bit, as she adjusts her red flannel shirt back, over her shoulder. "It's...fine, Vic. All's forgiven. Like I said, you helped my daughter, and that goes a long way with me. Whether you did it for your own gains or not." Debbie steps to the side a bit, leaving an opening for Vic. "Why don't you come in, Vic?" She says, softly. Vic takes a breath, and nods, stepping into the door, past Debbie.

Vic walks in, and his eyes scan the room. Sitting on the couch is Sandy, holding Franny, Debbie's daughter. Sitting next to them is Liam Gallagher, a bit of shock on his face as he looks towards the kitchen. Vic's eyes trail in the same direction and he sees Ian and Mickey both sitting at the kitchen table, lit cigarette smoke wafting between them. Mickey's eyes go wide, and he says something to Ian, nudging him and nodding in Vic's direction. Vic could swear Mickey's lips read the word "Motherfucker," as they both look in his direction. Vic can only give a nervous nod, as they both stand, and make their way to the living room.

Franny smiles wide, though, and jumps from Sandy's arms. Sandy's first reaction is to grab at her, to stop her, but she stops herself, as Franny runs up to Vic. "Hi, Uncle Vic!" Franny squeals. Vic looks down, smiling, as he bends down and allows Franny to wrap her tiny arms around his neck. "Hey, little one." Vic says, softly. Franny keeps the hug for a moment, as Vic gives a Debbie a look, and she nods. Vic hugs her back, gently. "Thank you for helping me, again, Uncle Vic. Momma was really happy when I came home!" Vic smiles, a bit wider this time. "I'm glad, Franny. Have you been behaving your mom, like I asked?" Franny nods. "Yep." She replies.

"Franny." Sandy says, semi-sternly. Franny looks back, then to Vic, with a sheepish look, as she slowly walks back over to the couch. Sandy says nothing else, as she picks up Franny and sets her back on her lap, staring at Vic. Debbie walks past Vic, who is still standing awkwardly next to the living room chair. "Carl's at work, Tami and Lip are upstairs, Freddie is having his nap. I'm sure they'll be down in a bit. It's almost time for Freddie to wake up anyways." Vic nods at this, as he speaks. "Yeah, that's fine. I don't want to disturb anyone, or anything."  
  
Mickey scoffs, walking forward to stand next to the couch, his cousin Sandy, and Franny. His arms are crossed and he gives off a half annoyed, half angry look. "You damn sure didn't have a problem disturbing everyone the first time you were here, that's for fucking sure." Vic cringes a bit, looking around again. "Yeah...um, Mickey, right? Honestly, I'm sorry about all that shit, you know? That was my fuckup. I should have handled that situation way better than I did." Mickey nods, and unfolds his arms. "You're goddamn right you should have. The fuck were you thinking, coming in here with all those motherfuckers, pointing guns at everyone?"

Ian steps forward, a hand on his husband's shoulder. "Mickey, easy. Let's just hear him out, okay?" Mickey turns. "The fuck, Gallagher? You on his side, now?" Ian shakes his head. "No, but you know all the shit Frank has done. Hell, you remember trying to kill him at one time, remember? Is it really a stretch to think Vic would have been the same way? Frank is Frank, and he's pissed off a lot of people. Let's just...hear him out." Mickey huffs a bit, rubbing his eyes in annoyance. "Fine. Keep talking, soldier boy." Vic's eyes go wide, and he turns to look at Debbie. Debbie shrugs. "Fiona told us you were in the military for awhile." Vic nods. "What all did she tell you?"

Debbie shrugs, again. "Just that you were military, and you hate Frank. I figured it's probably cause he walked out on you like he did to use countless times. Like Ian said, Frank is Frank." Vic nods, realizing that Fiona kept her promise, so far, and didn't tell them WHAT Frank had done. He sighs. "Yeah, it's true. Frank...walked out, a long time ago. I've hated him since. Almost twenty years. I just...I got too into my anger, and I didn't think about what would happen when my guys rushed the house. I fucked up. I could have handled that a lot better, like I said. So...I'm sorry, everyone."

Liam, who has been sitting in silence, finally speaks. "Are you really, honestly, our brother? Like, is Frank really your dad?" Vic stands a moment, quietly. "Unfortunately." He can only reply. Liam shakes his head. "You're not going to be like Sammi, are you? God knows we don't need another Sammi." Vic's face is confused. "Sammi?" He says. Ian gives him a half shrug. "Older half-sister, Frank's daughter, she was....a bit of a psychopath." Mickey turns, looking incredulous at Ian. "A fucking bit?" Ian scoffs. "Okay, she was fucking nuts." Vic smiles a small bit. "No, I don't think I'm a psychopath. And I don't have any ill intentions towards any of you. I promise. My beef is with Frank. Period."

Sandy sits back a bit, finally speaking. "Yeah, Lip said that, when you brought Franny back. Um, thanks for that, by the way." Vic nods. "Not a problem. I'm just glad I found her and not some other asshole, you know?" Sandy nods, eyeing Vic warily. "Yeah, me too, honestly." Sandy sighs. "I'm Sandy, by the way, though you probably knew that?" Vic shakes his head. "No, I didn't. Good to meet you, Sandy. Are you...related?" Vic points around, to the Gallaghers. Sandy shakes her head. "Nah, I'm Debbie's girlfriend." Vic swears he saw Debbie turn a bit red, out of the corner of his eye, at her words. Sandy points to Mickey. "I'm his cousin, however." Vic nods. "Cousin. I see."

Debbie leans against the back of the couch, behind Sandy, one hand on her shoulder. "It's a bit complicated. There's a lot of us around, it seems." Vic nods again, his lips purse into an agreeing frown. "So it seems. Fiona did say ya'll were a big family." Sandy scoffs. "Thought you knew that already, Vic." She said, a bit of ice in her voice. Vic shrugs. "My info on everyone was...limited. I knew names of most of you, but that's about as far as it went." Ian steps forward a bit, next to Debbie. "So...what's your plan, here, Vic? Are you just here to mess with Frank, or are you sticking around?"

Vic spreads his arms out a bit, in a 'I don't know' kind of gesture. "Not sure, honestly. Now that I've confronted Frank...I just...don't know. I told Lip that I didn't have an agenda or anything, but, with Frank...I kind of honestly want to make his life a bit difficult for awhile, truth be told. The guy has some payback coming. But...I've been thinking on it, and I don't want any of it to blow back on you all. So...I don't know."

Footsteps can be heard, coming down the stairs above the living room, and Vic and the rest look up as Lip's voice can be heard. "Hey, I heard my name, what's up?" He says, as he rounds the corner, and stops halfway down the steps, with Tami behind him, holding their son, Fred. Lip just stares at Vic, and Vic feels that nervous feeling creep into the back of his spine, again. His eyes gaze past Lip's, and he sees Tami. If looks could kill, he'd be dead right now.

Debbie turns. "Lip." She says, deadpan. Lip takes a few more steps down, clearing the stairway and standing in front of it. "The fuck is he doing here?" Debbie's eyes roll. "Fiona did say he'd be stopping by, remember?" Lip nods, and suddenly snaps back to his old self. "Ah, so...here for the apology tour, I'm guessing?" Vic nods, nervously. "Yeah, something like that." Lip stands, shrugs, and his arms cross in front of him, looking like a disappointed parent. "Well, let's hear it, then." Vic sighs, and nods. "Yeah, um...like I told them. I fucked up. All that shit was on me, and I'm sorry. I owe you both an apology, and I honestly, want to make up for it."

Lip is about to speak, but he feels Tami's hand on his shoulder. He turns and looks, as she leans into his ear and whispers something. He nods. "Sure, give him to me, then." And Tami gently hands Freddie off to his father. She steps down the stairs, past Lip, and steps forward, until she's only a foot away from Vic. 

"So...let me get this straight. You wanted to come by, and...apologize, for barging in here, with your asshole friends, and pointing guns at all of us, correct?" Vic nods. "Um...yeah. I owe you all an apology, because I reacted in the wrong way, and I want to make..." Vic didn't get any more out, as Tami's hand, full speed, came flying around, smacking him directly in the face. It sounds like a gunshot, as Vic recoils back, a hand going onto the top of the chair to stop his momentum. Franny shrieks in the background, clutching onto Sandy.

Everyone else recoils back a bit, as Debbie cries out. "Tami! What the fuck?" She yells. Tami turns, giving Debbie a sharp look, and Debbie falls quiet. Tami turns back, eyes ablaze, at Vic, as he reaches towards his lip, wiping a small bit of blood from his teeth. "You think you can just come in here, after what you did? After you put MY SON, in danger? And just...what? Say 'sorry' and everything is going to be all rainbows and fucking cotton candy?" Tami shakes her head, vehemently. "Fuck that. You think I should just fucking forgive you, Vic? YOU POINTED A GUN AT MY FAMILY!" She says, pushing Vic, hard. Lip steps forward. "Tami..." 

Vic holds a hand up, palm out, to Lip, stopping him. "No. She's right. I deserve her anger, Lip. I fucked up, and I DID put people in danger. Tami...the only thing I can say is, I'm sorry. The guns weren't loaded. We only wanted to scare Frank. But you're right. That doesn't really matter, cause you all believed they were. That's on me. I am sorry. I just...I want to make it up, somehow, if you're willing to let me." Vic says. Tami crosses her arms, glaring angrily, as she shakes her head. "That's not good enough, Vic." She says. "I can't speak for Lip, but you stay the fuck away from me, and you stay the FUCK away from my son. Period." Vic nods, slowly, as he stands up fully, again. "I understand," is all he can reply.

Tami scoffs, giving him a look, as she turns back towards Lip, picking her son up from Lip's arms, and holding him. She gives Lip a look, as she turns back to Vic, shaking her head, that angry look still plastered to her face. With that, she heads towards the kitchen, giving Debbie another look, as she walks by. Vic can only turn and look deadpan at Lip. "Jesus Christ. She hits harder than half the guys I served with overseas." Lip can only chuckle. "She's pissed. But she'll come around, Vic. I promise."

Vic nods. "Hope so. Hate to have to keep one eye open in my sleep." He quips.

Lip just chuckles again.

* * *

**Later that night:**

He stretches, feeling the muscles in his shoulder pop. It's a good feeling, and he revels in it, a bit. It's been a long day for Lip. Vic's visit set Tami off, sure, but she was more than happy to get away from the Gallagher house, and keep working on the house that Lip had purchased. Lip was also happy to be out of that environment. It was...awkward, and honestly, he's still not sure about his new half-brother, at this point. What he IS sure about, is that the house is maybe only a few more days, and a bit more wall painting away, from being done.

Lip is looking forward to having his own place. Sure, he loves his family, and still, to this day, loves being around them. But maybe now he can finally start building that family with Tami, and his son. Maybe some peace and quiet would do them some good. Well, as much peace and quiet as Freddie would allow. Lip sits on the bed of the room he and Tami share, as he watches his girlfriend, and baby mom, check Freddie's crib, to make sure he was sleeping. She sighs, an angry sigh. She's been pissed all day, ever since her confrontation with Vic. Lip sighs, in response.

"You okay?" He whispers, softly. Tami turns, shrugging. "Yeah, I'm fine, Lip." She says, all emotion stricken from her voice. Lip doesn't believe that for a second. He reaches out, his hand grasping hers, softly. "Hey." He says. "What's up?" Tami just sighs, a frustrated sigh, and turns, sitting next to him. A long, silent moment goes by, until she finally speaks. "Do you trust him?" Lip gives her a look of confusion. Tami can only roll her eyes. "Vic. Your...fucking half brother." Lip nods. "No. But...I don't know him enough to trust him." Tami scoffs. "Well, I fucking don't, Lip. Not after what he did."

Lip sighs, turning towards her, one leg folded on the bed. "I get it, Tami. You have EVERY reason to be pissed off. And you're right. He did come in, guns drawn. And even if it was to fuck with Frank, well...it was probably the wrong thing to do." Tami starts to speak, but Lip holds a hand up, silencing her. "BUT..." He says, "He did make sure that you went upstairs, with the kids. That's got to mean something, right? And he helped Franny, AND Fiona. Maybe it was just a bad first impression, and maybe he IS trying to make up for it?" Tami rolls her eyes again. "You sound his fucking lawyer, or something."

Lip shakes his head, a half smile on his face. "Nah. Just someone who speaks from experience when it comes to making a bad first impression with you." Tami stares at him a moment, and then just chuckles. "Oh, you mean the whole 'Jabby' thing?" She says, her top teeth folding over her bottom lip, in a mock smile, as she jabs one finger forward a few times. Now it's Lip's turn to scoff. "Yes, the fucking 'Jabby' thing. And it was the best sex you ever had. Don't try to lie." Tami just laughs, quietly. "Yeah. No." She leans forward a bit, kissing Lip. "But you definitely impressed me after a few tries. You just needed the...right encouragement."

Lip laughs back. "Oh, really? Well I'll have you know I've gotten a hell of a lot better since, with the right encouragement, of course." Tami continues kissing him, but speaks as they break apart. "That is VERY true." Lip pulls her close, a hand going underneath her shirt. "And you know what, maybe I need a little more...encouragement, at the moment?" Tami just shakes her head. "Oh, do you, Mister Gallagher?" Lip pulls away and nods. "Definitely." Tami stops for a moment, thinking. "All right. I'll be a little easier with your asshole brother from now on." She pokes a finger into Lip's chest, softly. "But he still has a long way to go with me, Lip."

He laughs a bit. "I get it. No worries." Lip pulls Tami as close as he can to his chest. "Now, about that encouragement, and all." He quips.

Tami chuckles, as her arms wrap around his neck, puling him close for a kiss, as she starts to lay on the bed, in his arms, as Tami starts pulling her shirt up.

"Just...don't wake the baby, you ass."

* * *

**Let me bleed you this song, of my heart deformed**   
**Lead you along this path in the dark**   
**Where I belong, 'till I feel your warmth...**

**"Vampire Heart" - HIM**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, everyone! Hope you enjoyed!
> 
> 3,098 words  
> 16,822 characters this chapter.
> 
> See you all on the next one! <3


	7. The Memory Remains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A morning conversation leads to Vic remembering the better times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! It's Wednesday! (9/23/2020) and it's time for ANOTHER CHAPTER! Enjoy! And thank you for reading and all the love so far! <3 <3 <3

* * *

**Days Later: (November 20th, 2020)**

The smell of coffee, and the sound of conversation permeate the air. The kitchen is cold. Even with the heaters in the living room, wafting into the back of the house, it's still cold. Almost unbearably so. Ian takes a sip of the coffee, letting the warmth wash over him, if only for a few moments. He can't help but smile at all the noise, as he watches Franny sitting at the table, eating with Debbie and Sandy. Fiona scrambles around, making coffee and pancakes. It seems as if Fiona has been doing everything she can to re-integrate herself back into the family, since she returned. Ian worries that she may be falling back into the "Mother" role again, remembering the stress that caused, which ended with Fiona binge drinking and leaving before.

But, for now, it seems Fiona is on a good path. Who knows? Maybe she decided this was where she was meant to be, after all? Ian takes another sip, as he listens to Franny hum, as she takes a bite of her pancake. Debbie and Sandy talk to each other, as Liam is crowded at the end of the table, next to the water heater, absentmindedly eating his breakfast, as well. Carl sits, on a stool against the kitchen counter, drinking his coffee, but with no plate in front of him. "You're not going to eat, bud?" Ian asks Carl. Carl shakes his head. "Nah, got to get going to work in a bit. I'll eat there." Ian scoffs. "You're still at that damn fast food place? I'd have figured you'd have quit after that one guy accidentally put his hand in the deep fryer." Carl smiles a bit. "Yeah, it was pretty fucking gross, but it wasn't accidentally. Guy was looking for an insurance payout, or something." Ian's eyes go wide at that.

A knock on the backdoor pierces through the noise. Debbie looks up from her breakfast. "Is that Lip?" Ian shakes his head. "Nah, he's already at the place he's flipping for him and Tami. I bet it's fucking Frank." Ian says, with a sigh, as he walks around the counter, towards the door. "Probably trying to weasel his way back into the house again." Another knock, and Ian finally swings open the door. Behind it stands, not Frank, but Ian's newly christened cousin, Vic. "Ah. Hey Vic. What's up?" Vic smiles a bit, as Ian steps to the side, letting Vic in. Vic's carrying a box, and a tray of coffee, as his dog Duke comes trotting in front of him, as he steps through the door.

"Hey, Ian. I brought breakfa....oh." Vic says, stopping at the sight of everyone eating. "Damn. Should have showed up earlier, I guess." He says, sheepishly. Fiona smiles a bit, reaching for a coffee. "Hey Vic. Morning!" She says. Vic makes a pained look. "Donuts, anyone?" He says, holding up the box a bit. Carl raises a hand. "I'll take one, dude!" Ian turns and gives him a look. "I thought you were going to eat at work?" Carl grins and gives a shrug of his head. "It's donuts, dude. Who says no to donuts?" He replies, as Vic sets the box down, and Carl opens it and grabs one. Ian shakes his head, and chuckles.

"Did I fucking just hear the word donuts?" A voice yells, coming down the stairs. Mickey Milkovich takes all of about two steps to the box, grabbing one, and a cup of coffee, before anyone can react. "Yes...Mickey. You did, I guess." Debbie says, deadpan. Mickey stuffs the donut half into his mouth and smiles. "Thanks, Boy Scout." He mumbles, through the donut, as everyone gives him a look. Vic just shakes his head, looking at Ian. Ian sighs, smiling and shaking his head again, as Mickey leans against the wall, chowing down on the donut.

"You know, Vic. You don't have to keep doing shit to apologize. We did say everything was cool, and all. Regardless of what Tami feels." Fiona quips. Vic grins a bit. "Yeah...sorry. Force of habit. I guess." Sandy smiles a bit, teasingly. "You make it a habit of apologizing a lot? Sounds like kind of a pussy thing, there, Vic." Debbie laughs a bit as she lightly smack Sandy on the arm. Vic just grins, thin lipped at Sandy, with a roll of his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, yeah." He says. Carl takes a bite of donut, chews, seemingly thinking, and then asks. "Hey. Vic?" 

Vic turns, leaning against the counter on the other side of Carl. "Yeah, Carl?" Carl chews a bit more, swallows the piece of donut, takes a drink of coffee, then speaks. "Fiona said you were military, right?" Vic nods his head. "Yeah, Marines." He says. Carl nods. "What was that like? See a lot of shit? Oh!" Carl says, eyes suddenly excited. "You ever kill anyone?" Fiona swats Carl on the back of the head a bit, as she walks by, with an incredulous look on her face. "Really, Carl?" Vic chuckles. "Yeah, a few. It was part of the job. Taking out Insurgents and such." Carl nods, seemingly understanding. "Cool. Why'd you come to Chicago? Why not stay in the military?"

Vic sighs a bit, taking a sip of his coffee. "I got shot." He says, nonchalantly. Carl's eyes go wide. "Holy shit. Really?" Vic nods. "Yeah. Here." He says, pulling his shirt down to show the scar on his shoulder, then his shirt up, to show his stomach. "Here. And my knee." Carl nods. "Wow." He says. He almost sounds like a kid, opening a present on Christmas morning. "What happened? Like...how'd it happen?" Vic sighs, remembering. "Well. We were clearing houses, and one of the assholes living in it pulled a gun, and got me pretty good. He got lit up in response." Vic shrugs, as if he's told this story a thousand times. "I survived. He didn't."

"Damn, dude." Sandy says. "What was that like? Getting shot?" Vic goes silent, thinking for a minute, before answering. "It fucking sucked." He quips, in a joking tone. Fiona laughs a bit. Debbie as well. Ian stifles a chuckle, as Vic continues. "Spent some time in a bed, in Med. Fortunately had this guy to keep me company." He says, nodding towards the German Shepard laying at his feet. "He was part of the unit. Sniffing out bombs and weapons in places we clear. This mutt saved my ass quite a few times, honestly." Vic says, reaching down and stroking Duke's ears, as Duke whines and look up at him. "So, they gave me an honorable discharge, and a pension, and sent me on my way. Duke was retiring out around the same time, so I filled out some paperwork, and they let me have him."

Franny finishes her last bite, and whispers something to her mom. Debbie leans forward, as Franny whispers in her ear. Debbie nods a bit, and looks at Vic. "Hey Vic, is it alright if Franny borrows Duke? He's like, not going to bite her head off or anything, is he?" Vic smiles. "Nah, he's a good mutt. He'll keep an eye on her. Hell, honestly, I think he's taken a bit of a shine to her." Franny hops off her chair, and walks over to Duke, leaning down to pet him. "Hi Duke." She says, as the dog sits up, panting, and begins licking Franny's face, as she squirms and giggles.

"See?" Vic says, jokingly. Debbie chuckles. "Alright, Franny, go into the living room and play with Duke, if you want, baby." Duke looks up at Vic, and Vic nods. "Go play." He says, and Duke's tail wags as he follows Franny into the living room. Mickey finishes his donut and takes another sip of coffee, before speaking. "So how did you end up finding Frank, anyways? Don't tell me you looked the asshole up in a phone book, or something?" Vic shakes his head, smiling. "Fiona didn't tell you?" I literally bumped into him on the street."

* * *

**Two months ago: (September 27th, 2020)**

Frank Gallagher, in his drunken stupor, sidles down the sidewalk of a busy Chicago street, his words slurring, and his gait stumbling. "Son of a fucking bitch." He says, as he pulls a bottle from his dirty jacket pocket, and takes a swig. "Ah. That's the good stuff!" He says, to no one in particular. It's a semi warm day, in the middle of September, as the weather begins to turn from heat, to cold, signaling the beginning of winter's coming. He had just swiped the bottle from a hobo, in an alleyway somewhere. The dumb bastard was asleep, his half drunk bottle cradled in his arms, like a mother, holding a baby. Frank had no issues whatsoever, relieving that bottle from the homeless man. He laughs to himself, thinking about it. "Boy, is he going to be PISSED when he wakes up!" Frank shakes his head, taking another swig. "You snooze, you lose, buddy!" He cries, triumphantly, as he turns, walking backwards. More like full on stumbling, in this case. 

He doesn't even see the brick wall of a man that he stumbles into, his back slamming into his chest. Frank stumbles a bit, to the side of this man, and grabs onto something to steady himself. "Hey, jerk! Watch where the fuck you're going!" He drunkenly yells, words slurring together. "I'm fucking walking here!" he says, only taking a passing glance at the man. He doesn't notice how wide the man's eyes are, or the shock on the man's face, as he continues rambling, stumbling down the street. "Have some fucking respect! Nobody slams into Frank Fucking Gallagher! God damn it!"

Frank never knew that the man that he walked into, was his own son. As Vic stands there, eyes wide, and look of full on shock on his face, he begins walking, slowly, following Frank.  
  


* * *

**Present Time, In The Gallagher Kitchen:**

  
"And that was it." Vic says, softly. "He literally ran into me, as I was coming out of a store." The room is silent for a moment, then Mickey suddenly bursts out laughing. "Jesus fucking Christ, Superman. Talk about the shittiest of coincidences." Fiona shrugs. "Or maybe it was the best coincidence?" Vic looks confused. "How do you mean?" Fiona sighs. "Well, I mean you held a grudge against him for...what? Twenty years? And suddenly fate just...drops him in your lap, basically?" Vic considers this, then shrugs. "Maybe."

He continues. "Anyways, I followed him for awhile, until he came...here." Vic says, pointing a finger directly down, against the smooth surface of the counter. "To this house." The silence in the room is thick. "So...I had Markus...you know, Markus. Big dude. One who did all the talking when we busted in?" Mickey's face is a bit of anger, as Vic continues. "Markus was in my squad. He was my Captain. Always kept his cool in a firefight. He eventually bounced out of the military, another honorable discharge, and I got ahold of him. He became a private investigator, as a civilian. So he was able to round up a shit ton of info on everyone here, sans Sandy and a few others." Vic says, waving a finger in Sandy's direction. "We spent some time, making a plan, and...well, it went to shit when one of the guys following Frank got caught, and we had to just...confront Frank, immediately. And...here we are." Vic says, softly.

Sandy sits, shaking her head. "Jesus. All that for Frank fucking Gallagher." Vic shrugs. "Yeah, pretty much." Sandy lights a cigarette, the smoke burning into the room. She takes a puff, thinking. "So, you spent all that time...what? Researching Frank? Stalking him?" Vic shook his head. "Nah. It was only a few weeks of work to get what we needed on Frank. I'd been out for...oh, maybe a year, now?" Sandy scoffs. "Wait. You've been by yourself for a year? From the Marines? On your own?" Vic nods. "Yeah...why?" Debbie looks at Sandy. "What are you getting at?" Sandy shrugs. "I dunno. Just...a lot of time to be alone. You'd think the guy would have hired a hooker or something, on some off nights."

Debbie's eyes go wide, and she can't help the shocked smile on her face, as her lips make an O. "Sandy!" Debbie chastises. "What?" Sandy says, as if she's asking an everyday, normal question. Vic's sudden laugh interrupts Debbie's chiding of her girlfriend. "Funny you should mention that." He says, letting the sentence hang. Carl smiles. "Wait. You hired hookers?" Vic laughs again. "Yeah." 

"Ew." Fiona says, as she stands there, drinking her cup of coffee now. Vic gives her a look. "No...I...I never slept with any of them!" He replies, somewhat defensively. Everyone in the room gives Vic a look, like he grew a second head on top of his first one. "Wait." Carl says. "You never slept with any of them?" Vic shakes his head. "Nope. Wasn't really my thing." Carl looks fully confused now. "So...what did you do? Play boards games?" Mickey's chuckle is plain as day. "Parcheesi? Dominoes? Or maybe Uno?" He quips, as Ian shakes his head, lightly nudging him, as he stands by him, now.

Vic smiles. "Oh, everyone has jokes. Nice." He says, as everyone laughs. "No...I just...I fucking talked to them, for an hour or two. Just about life, and things. I know..." Vic says, holding his hands up. "It sounds silly, and honestly, a few of them laughed and walked off immediately. But, it helped me. I didn't feel...alone, as much. Even if just for a bit." The room goes silent, now. Until Sandy quips. "Sounds like a waste of fucking money, but...eh, not the weirdest thing I've heard of a guy doing with a hooker." The room laughs again. Vic shakes his head. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. And they are called 'Escorts', thank you very much." Mickey's mutter of the word 'hooker' in response, wasn't missed by Vic as he gives him a look. Mickey fires back. "I don't know, Vic. Buying hookers and not fucking them? Sounds like something a complete pussy would do. No offense, and all." Ian's elbow meets his side, sharply, drawing a look from Mickey, to his husband.  
  
Carl, still smiling, speaks up again. "Did you have like...a favorite?" Fiona can't help but snicker, as Vic turns a bit red. Mickey just looks at Carl. "Really, Short Shit? That's what you want to ask Mr. Rogers, here?" He says, pointing at Vic. "If he had a favorite conversation maker?" Ian quips, in response. "Conversationalist, babe." He says. Mickey gives him a look. "Don't you give me shit, Gallagher," he says, but smiling. Vic can only sigh, and nod. "Yes. I had a...favorite, I guess you could call it." He says.

Carl's eyes go wide. "Really?" He says. "What was she like? Or...he? Is this a HE situation?" Carl says, curious. Vic shakes his head. "She." He says, plainly. "And she was...honestly, pretty fucking amazing." Vic leans forward, rolling his coffee cup between his palms. A habit of his. "She was...a hell of a woman, honestly." Vic smiles, thinking to himself, as Ian passes by him, opening the refrigerator, as he grabs a carton of milk. Vic continues. "She said her name was Abbie, but...more than likely that was just her working name. She had this way of talking to you that...I don't know, kind of drew you in. We'd sit and just chill, listen to music in the hotel, and talk for hours."  
  
"About what?" Carl says, grabbing another donut, and chewing. Vic smiles. "Just, bullshit. Life, how much it sucked at the time, or didn't. What we wanted to be, or do, when we got old as fuck. Stupid, dumb shit, you know?" Debbie's mocking, fake snore cuts Vic off. "Laugh it up. But like I said, it helped me." Vic smiles wider. "I remember, she...she had this hair style, that I thought looked beautiful on her...bangs, on her forehead. Almost to her eyes. She was blonde. Thin as hell. Like a fucking toothpick. She had these, beautiful deep green eyes. I could get lost in them. The way she talked, and smiled....just..." Vic says, softly, almost lost in his own world.

Sandy clears her throat. "You need a minute alone with a few tissues, Vic?" She says, chuckling. Vic's eyes uncloud a bit, and his stare leaves him, as he shakes his head, sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah, sorry. She was just...she was pretty amazing. Truth be told." Debbie smiles a bit, still sitting at the table. "She sounds pretty neat, Vic. Really. For a hooker, I mean." Vic shakes his head. "You know, come to think it...she reminds me a lot of people on the South Side. She damn sure had the attitude to fit. Reminds me of this fucker, here." Vic says, tossing a thumb in Mickey's direction. Mickey scoffs. "Ain't no one like me, Captain America. And there never fucking will be." He replies, with a lit cigarette in his hands, now.

In all the conversation, no one notices the look on Ian's face. How wide his eyes are, the shock, or the look of possible recognition that, if anyone was paying attention, could be read like a book, on his face...

* * *

**Remember yesterday, walking hand in hand  
Love letters in the sand, I remember you  
Through the sleepless nights through every endless day  
I'd want to hear you say, I remember you...**

**"I Remember You" - Skid Row**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter may be a bit shorter as I don't have much time to write this weekend. But I want to get the chapter out before the weekend is over! See you then!
> 
> (2,928 Words,  
> 16,228 characters this chapter.)
> 
> See you on the next one!


	8. Fit to Become An Avalanche

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frank returns, and a confrontation with Vic explodes, shattering the peace of the rest of the Gallagher family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! It's Saturday! (9/26/2020) and it's time for another chapter. I don't have much time today so I am going to keep this one shorter (Hopefully). But thank you for all the love so far. Ya'll are great and I hope your weekend is amazing! <3 <3
> 
> TW: Violent Content/Blood/Assault

* * *

**Later That Night:**

He jiggles the doorknob, checking to see if it's unlocked. A small rattle, but the door doesn't give. He swears, behind his clenched teeth. "God damn it, fuck!" He's most of the way lit up. Full kilter. About eight shots of Jameson, and five or six extra beers on top, as well as several lines of coke, and a quite a few hits from a joint. Most normal human beings would have been unconscious halfway through, but Frank Gallagher is NOT a normal human being, for sure. All concern for his replaced liver is out the window, tonight. It's a special occasion. Friday. The day after Thanksgiving. Frank hadn't been home in almost two or so weeks, and honestly, his bender, and his avoiding the Gallagher house, HIS home, had gone on long enough.

Frank curses as he tries the doorknob again. "Fuck! Shit!" He seethes, half tipping over as he stands. This all his fault. That bastard child of his. Vic. "Fucking little shithead." Frank gripes. "If you'd have never shown up, my fucking family would have NEVER thrown me out!" Regardless of the fact that it was FRANK who had left, and not come back, Frank still blames Vic for all of it. He stands on the top step of the porch, shaking his head. The bitter winter cold bites at his neck and face. He doesn't want to spend another damn night on the street, sleeping in an alley or a gutter.

No, he's Frank Fucking Gallagher. He's the Patriarch of the Gallagher family. No more sleeping in the dirt. Not this night. Frank looks around, as he walks down the steps of the back porch, and his eyes fall on the door that leads to under the house. Suddenly, like a lightbulb going off, from the flick of a switch, an idea forms in his head. Frank tries the door, and it's locked. "Shit," he mutters. But the lock looks flimsy. As if it's been forced open before, but the lock was never changed. Just jerry-rigged in such a way as to make it seem locked. But to the keen eye, one could see the lock hanging by a bare thread. Frank smiles to himself, as he pulls the door towards him, hard, hearing the lock snap.

The door swings wide open, and he can only laugh. "Not this time, you bastard." He mutters, as he walks in, stumbling down the stairs. The basement has two doors, on either side. One leads outside, and the other...straight up to the kitchen. Frank knows that none of his kids ever lock that door. So he shuts the outside door, as best he can, to keep the cold from coming in, and stumbles up the stairs, opening the door to the kitchen. Like he predicted, the door swings wide open. Frank chuckles to himself again, that drunken, low chuckle, as he stumbles over to the fridge, leaving the basement door wide open. 

Frank swings open the door to the refrigerator, immediately reaching for the first beer bottle he can find, popping it open, and taking a deep swig. "Fucking, lock me out the house, will you? You're not even a Gallagher, you fucking punk. You're...barely my son." His words are heavily slurred, drunken. Frank closes the door of the fridge, and slowly slumps down, with his back sitting against the door.  
  
"I'll show you, you little asshole." He mutters, as his eyes grow heavy, with every drink.  
  


* * *

**The Next Morning: (November 21st, 2020)**

A swift kick into his side. A sharp pain. "Huh? What the fuck?" Frank mutters, as his eyes fly open, and he looks up into the face of his daughter, Debbie. He shakes his head, laying his face down against the tile of the kitchen. The tile is cool, against his skin. All he wants to do is drift back into the darkness.

Another sharp kick prevents that. "God damn it, Frank! Get up!" Debbie screeches. Frank lifts his hand, middle finger pointed directly at his daughter. "Franny needs to eat breakfast and you laying here like a drunken log in the middle of the kitchen does NOT help any." Debbie remarks. "On top of the goddamn fact that you left the basement door open, letting all the heat out, running up the fucking bill!" She remarks. Frank continues lying there, for a moment, then slowly, regretfully, pulls himself up a bit. "I was sleeping, Debbie. I would have been in a bed, upstairs, but it seems like all of you ungrateful little jerks TOOK UP all of the bed space in the house!"

Debbie sighs. "Well, then go find a gutter somewhere to sleep in, Frank." Frank stands up, as best as he can, shaking his head at his redheaded spitfire of a daughter. "Fuck that! I am the MAN of this house, and god damn it, I expect a bed, and blankets, and breakfast! All the things I do for you, the food I put in your mouths? Do I not feed your bellies? I work hard to provide for this family, and what do I get? No respect! None!"

Debbie scoffs, as she passes by Frank, and begins turning on the stove. "More like hardly working, Frank." She mutters. "Just, get out of the fucking way, Jesus." Debbie cracks a few eggs, dropping the yolks into a bowl and mixing, as a pan heats up on the stove. Frank just scoffs, as he heads towards the fridge, opening the door, and fishing for another beer. Debbie turns, eyes wide, and slams the door. Frank barely has enough time to pull his hand away, as his knuckles bang against the quickly closing door.  
  
"OW! FUCK SHIT, GOD DAMN IT, DEBS!" Frank roars. Debbie's only response is to point a spatula at him and hiss between her teeth. "You don't touch that fridge until I'm done, Frank. And you drop some money on the table to pay some of the bills around here, Mr. "Provider." Frank angrily shakes his head, muttering to himself. "You're more like Fiona every fucking day." Debbie gives him a look, and a smug smile, as sounds of footsteps coming down the stairs can be heard. "You better get out of here, Frank. I wouldn't want to be here when Vic gets here." Frank turns, wide eyed in anger and regards Debbie, as his eyes quickly shift as the rest of the Gallagher's, and Mickey and Sandy Milkovich come down the stairs, suddenly very interested in this struggle for power, in the kitchen.

Lip, Ian, and Mickey all stand above Sandy and Mickey, and all of them look smug, as Fiona passes by them all, heading towards the coffee machine. Frank, looking like someone had just shot his favorite dog, speaks. "Vic? The fuck is that little asshole doing coming over here?" Debbie smiles a bit. "He's taking me to work, and Franny to daycare. Franny is trying out this new daycare a few blocks from here, and I need a ride to work. So....you maybe don't want to be here." Frank looks around, at everyone, staring at the scene of him and Debbie arguing, and scoffs. "Over my dead body! I don't want him here! This is MY HOUSE, and I make the rules!"

Fiona scoffs. "It'll be your house when you start paying all of the bills, Frank." She says, through sips of her coffee. Frank points a finger at her. "Don't you start, Ms. Extended Vacation." Fiona shakes her head, her voice a steel edge of smugness. "Like she said. You might want to be gone when he gets here." Frank stands his ground, however. "You know what? No! I'll be RIGHT here, when he does. Little bastard owes me an apology, anyways." Fiona's eyes light up in anger. "Oh, and you don't owe him anything?" She starts to say, until a sharp knock hits the back door, in the kitchen.

Frank's eyes go wide, as Lip walks over, smiling and opens the door. "Hey, Vic." Lip says, making it a habit to enunciate Vic's name. "Morning." Vic says, as he steps through. "Hey Debs, you ready to head to...." Vic stops, as his eyes fall on Frank. Frank stares right back at him. The sleeve of Vic's dark leather jacket comes up, as Vic rubs his mouth and chin, angrily. He says nothing. Just shakes his head, eyeballing Frank. Debbie clears her throat. "Yeah, Vic. Just let me feed Franny here real quick." She says, as she lays a plate of eggs in front of her daughter. "Careful, baby. It's hot." She says. Franny, in response, starts lightly blowing on the eggs, turning afterwards to Vic and saying "Hi, Uncle Vic."

Vic's only response is to lay his hand on Franny's head, ruffling her hair. But his expression doesn't change, a solid poker face, as he continues staring down Frank. Frank finally scoffs. "What, you want a hug?" He says, his tone mocking. Vic just shakes his head, and rolls his eyes. "Fuck you." Fiona reaches out a cup of coffee to Vic. "Morning." She says. Vic takes the coffee, with a nod, and Fiona passes by him as she whispers to him. "No killing your father in front of the kids, please." Vic finally pulls his eyes away from Frank, and looks at Fiona, but for only a split second, as his eyes fall back on Frank.

Frank takes this opportunity to continue his ranting. "Oh, what? He the new favorite Gallagher, now? This asshole? Does anyone remember, not too long ago, when this fucking maniac came barging in with his buddies, guns drawn, and harassed all of us? ANYONE? Anyone remember him knocking me out? FUCKING ANYONE?" Mickey just laughs. "Yeah, we remember, Frank. Difference is, Vic's tried to make up for it. You, however, never make up for being the asshole you are." Frank scoffs. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was asking for the opinion of Ian's bottom BITCH." 

Mickey shoots off the wall, like a lightning bolt. "The fuck did you say, asshole?" Ian reaches forward and grabs him. "Stop. Mickey. Not worth it." He says. Mickey's first finger points at Frank menacingly. "You better watch it, bitch." Frank just shakes his head. "So...what? Vicky boy here just walks in, sheds a few tears, and you all, what? Line up to do a family group hug?" Vic, standing there as Frank gets closer, finally speaks, his voice low, and dangerous. Obviously fed up with Frank's antics. "Well Frank, maybe it's because they have more than enough experience with your bullshit, like I have? Maybe they understood why I hate you so much?" Frank just stands there a moment, and laughs. "Oh, what? You're still mad that I left?" Frank turns, and walks towards the front room, stopping in the doorway, and swinging around. Frank's in a rankly mood. And he feels like starting a fight.  
  
"Get the fuck over it, Vic." 

Vic's eyes go wide, and to the keen eye, it seems every muscle in his body tenses up, as Frank continues. "You think you're the only kid in the world who's Daddy left him? Please. You're not special. You weren't even worth my time, boy." Vic's face is a mixture of pain and seething rage. "You were my FATHER, Frank. You were supposed to stick the fuck around. For mom! Love honor and obey, remember? Or was that just a line you fed her cause you figured she was an easy paycheck, you piece of shit?" Vic yells, finally shooting up from where he was leaning on the counter, eye to eye with Frank.

Frank laughs. "Your mother...Vic, let me tell you about your mother." Vic's eyes suddenly change, and they widen, as he slowly breaths. "Don't." He says. Frank ignores it. "Your mother, Vic. Jesus, all she ever did was harp at me. Yak, yak yak! Do this, do that! I did EVERYTHING I could to be a good husband, but it was NEVER enough. All I ever heard from her was how I was a screwup, how I needed to do this and that. YAK, YAK, YAK!" Frank is almost yelling, his finger now pointing directly into Vic's chest. "Guys, okay, stop." Debbie and Fiona are both trying to say, as the rest of the Gallaghers move away from this argument.  
  
There is no letting up for Frank, at this point. Maybe it's the booze, or maybe it's the sudden anger at seeing his prodigal son, twenty years later. but Frank's anger is seething, and Vic's is boiling to the surface, and Frank continues. "Your mother was always nagging me. All I ever did was love her! And provide and be a good husband! And it was NEVER enough!" Vic's breathing comes in rapid succession, like a bull preparing to charge. Frank doesn't even seem to notice. He's on an angry roll. Like a snowball heading down a hill, fit to become an avalanche, and sweep away all in it's path.

Frank can't stop the next words from coming out of his mouth. "You know what, Vic? The best thing your mother ever did was fucking DIE! Because she was a miserable, self-absorbed BITCH! **I'M GLAD SHE'S DEAD!** "

The room falls silent, and Fiona barely has time to register a look to Debbie, and no time to tell her to get Franny out of the room. Quicker than any eye can catch, Vic's fist comes out, hitting Frank square in the jaw, full speed. A significant grunt of pain comes from Frank, but Vic doesn't stop. His other hand grabs Frank by the throat, pushing him backwards with uncanny strength, slamming Frank through the open door frame of the kitchen, on the right side, next to the washer. A shriek comes from Franny, as everything seems to move in slow motion.

Frank's body pitches through the wall, shattering it into several pieces, as he falls onto his back. Vic is on top of him, almost instantly, a primal scream emerging from his throat, as he rains down punch after punch. Two of Frank's teeth fly out of his mouth, and slide across the floor, stopping against the back of the couch. Blood splatters from his nose and mouth, but Vic doesn't stop, screaming louder at every punch, until his hands wrap around Frank's throat, and Vic starts strangling him, as Frank meekly struggles to escape, slapping at Vic's arms.  
  
"GUYS! HELP!" Fiona yells, running forward and grabbing Vic arm. But it's like Vic is on auto-pilot, as he easily throws her off, and she goes flying into the wall, hitting her side hard, with a painful yell. Mickey, Ian, Lip, and Carl all rush forward, as Vic continues to punch and choke Frank, who is long since unconscious, and bleeding profusely from his face. Debbie quickly rushes over and stands next to Liam, as the look on his eyes is one of shock, and she picks Franny up, who is now loudly wailing, screaming and crying.

"VIC! JESUS, STOP!" Lip tries to yell, as his arms wraps around Vic's neck. Mickey grabs Vic's left arm and begins pulling, as Ian grabs the other. Carl wraps his arms around Vic's waist, screaming at him to stop. They all manage to drag Vic backwards, and off of Frank, who looks like a corpse on the floor of the living room, now. The Gallagher boys, and Mickey manage to pull Vic all the way back into the kitchen, though not without difficulty, as Vic continues to lunge at Frank, pulling each one away, only for them to grab back on. "I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" Vic yells, as he struggles to get at Frank, as they all hold him back. Fiona gets up quickly, heading towards Frank. "Jesus, Frank! Frank!" She yells, trying to shake him awake, in a full on panic. Frank doesn't respond.

Vic continues pulling against the boys, screaming. "Let me fucking go!" As he reaches towards Frank. Franny's cries only get louder, as the boys are finally able to pick up Vic and slam him backwards against the counter. "FUCKING STOP MOVING, VIC!" Mickey yells, as he struggles to contain him. "Jesus, this guy's a fucking ox!" Lip yells out. Vic reaches out, trying to push them all off of him, but it's a losing battle. His eyes fall on Debbie, as he looks around the room, and her watching, as she tries to get Franny to stop screaming and crying. Franny tearfully buries her head into her mom's shoulder, yelling "MOMMY!" as she cries. 

Vic sees this, and suddenly his eyes uncloud, and all the tension and fight he had left drains out of him. He looks around, and sees Frank on the ground, completely out, as Fiona tends to him. He looks over at Debbie and Sandy, and Franny, as they stare at him in anger, as Deb's eyes tear up, and Franny continues to cry. The boys seem to feel Vic stop fighting, and they loosen up a bit. Mickey stares down Vic. "Chill the fuck out, now!" It's not a request. Vic can only nod, as the boys let him go, but quickly stand between him and Frank. Vic stands up, slowly, mournfully. He watches as Fiona turns, staring him down, eyes like daggers.   
  
"Vic. Get the FUCK out, NOW!" She screams. Vic looks around, and his face grows more horrified and sad, as the realization of what he had just done, hits him. "I...I'm..sorry." He barely can squeak out, as he turns, seeing Franny shrivel away from him, obviously scared and crying, as Debbie steps back away from him, staring him down angrily. Vic spares one look back, at Fiona and Frank, tears welling in his eyes, as he looks down as his bloodied and bruised up knuckles. He looks at everyone, and in a small whisper, says "I'm so sorry."

Vic turns, and quickly heads toward the backdoor, walking out of the house, into the cold November's winter, leaving the door wide open. All he hears as he continues walking in Fiona's voice yelling for someone to call an ambulance.

* * *

**Everything you say to me  
Takes me one step closer to the edge  
And I'm about to break...  
I need a little room to breathe  
'Cause I'm one step closer to the edge  
And I'm about to break...**

**"One Step Closer" - Linkin Park**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, everyone! That one was a rough chapter for me. Not sure if the next one will be Wednesday or Saturday of next week. Thanks for reading!
> 
> (3,069 Words  
> 16,710 Characters this chapter.)
> 
> Catch you on the next one!


	9. Something He Said

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Gallagher's process the violent confrontation between Vic and Frank, and Ian gets a thought in his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! It's Saturday! (10/3/2020!) Happy October! So, from now on I'll only be posting each chapter on either Saturday or Sunday. Usually Sunday but I am busy tomorrow so the chapter needs to be posted today. 
> 
> Also thank you everyone for the comments this week and the love. I hope I answered any questions to the best of my ability. <3 <3 <3
> 
> Enjoy the new chapter! And see you all next week!

* * *

**December 1st, 2020:**

She stands, leaning against the counter of the kitchen, lit cigarette in hand. The smoke wafts into the air, aimlessly. She takes a long drag, the ashes falling from the tip, and the embers hitting the tray beneath her. Her red hair bobs, ever so slightly, as she taps the Marlboro against the glass ash tray. Debbie Gallagher sighs, deep in thought. She turns and looks at the bare spot on the kitchen floor, and her eyes drift up to the broken section of the wall, where her father Frank had been thrown through, by his first born son.

Debbie takes another drag, shaking her head. Her mind wanders back to that day, after Vic left. Frank had been pretty beaten up, enough that they had to call an ambulance for him. No cops, of course. Gallaghers never called the cops. They had told the EMT's that Frank came stumbling in, and that he must have been in a bar fight. Fiona and the rest had quickly cleaned up what they could, before the ambulance got there, and when asked about the wall, they had said that the wall had been busted for awhile. The EMT's didn't seem to care. it was Frank, after all. His reputation preceded him, in the end.

Frank didn't stay in the hospital long. As soon as he woke up, and was stitched back up, he left. How does Debbie know this? Cause the asshole is currently sleeping upstairs, in one of the damn beds. They wanted to argue and throw him out, but looking at his pitiful, bruised up face, and blackened eyes, no one really said no to Frank, this time. Plus Franny was freaked out, and seeing Frank up and walking had, at least, calmed her down a bit. Frank had grumbled and told everyone to fuck off, and went to bed. He's been recovering in that room for over a week, now. He's only left to get booze or whatever, and came in at night and went to sleep. It's weird, actually, as Debbie thinks to herself. Frank seems to be a completely different person, right now. Almost...emasculated, in a way.

Debbie hears the door open, and she turns around, to look. In walks Sandy Milkovich, and Debbie's daughter, Franny. Sandy had asked to take Franny on a bit of a walk. Even as cold as it was, with the bitter December in Chicago, Debbie had given her permission. Besides, she had needed to think for a bit. Something that Frank had said, in that fight, had been bugging her for awhile. Sandy smiles a bit, as she shuts the door behind her, and takes off her coat. "Hey." She says, softly. "We're back, and all." Debbie gives her girlfriend a small smile. "Hey."

Sandy walks over and kisses Debbie on the cheek, lightly. "Miss us?" She remarked, jokingly. Debbie's eyes wander back to the broken wall. "Yeah, of course." She says. Sandy's gaze follows hers. "Still thinking about it, huh?" She says, matter-of-factly. Debbie shakes her head a bit. "Something he said." Sandy looks confused. "Vic?" Debbie looks back at her. "No. Frank. Right before." Sandy nods a bit, as she takes a cigarette out of the nearby pack, watching as Franny removes her coat and wanders into the living room. She lights the cigarette and takes a puff, before speaking. "Which part? Wait...you mean the part that made Vic beat the ever living fuck shit out of him?"

Debbie nods. "I'm glad she's dead." She says, softly. Sandy scoffs. "Yeah. That was...harsh." Debbie regards her lover. "Do you think Vic was right in what he did?" Sandy can only shrug, as she exhales smoke from her lungs. "I can't really say. Though, to be honest, from everything you told me...Frank has done enough to warrant a beating or two." Debbie nods. "Yeah, probably. But that was...so brutal. I mean, we found teeth underneath the damn couch, Sandy. And Franny..." Debbie looks towards the living room, leaning a bit to see if her daughter is there. Sure enough, Franny is sitting on the couch, quietly, watching cartoons on the television in front of her.

"Franny saw the whole goddamn thing. I couldn't get to her fast enough to stop her from seeing it." Sandy nods, pity on her face, for her girlfriend. "Yeah, Vic really fucked up. Again. He could have at least waited 'till you got Franny out of the room. But I suppose if someone had said something like that about a family member that I loved...I'd probably try to kill them instantly, too." Debbie takes another drag of her cigarette, stamping it out into the tray. "What do you think Frank did to him, that made him hate him so much?" Sandy could only shrug, again. "I don't know. But it seems pretty bad, Debs."

Debbie shakes her head, and quickly walks over and grabs her coat. "I need to go find him." Sandy stands up, quickly, from her leaning position against the counter. "Wait. Who? Vic? You're going to go find him now?" Debbie stands there, as she slips her coat on. "Yeah. I need to talk to him, about all of it. What happened. Why he did what he did. Everything. I need to know what Frank did." Sandy walks over and grabs her coat. "Okay, I'll call Mickey, and ask if he can watch Franny." Debbie shakes her head, her hand reaching out, to stop Sandy. "No, Sandy. I need you to stay here and watch Franny. I'm going to find him alone." Sandy shook her head furiously at this. "No, Debs. That ain't happening. What if he goes after you?"

Debbie just gives her lover a look. "Do you honestly think Vic will attack me? For real?" Sandy shrugs again. "Fuck if I know!? The guy is pretty quick to anger." Debbie nods. "Yeah, to FRANK. Not to me, or anyone else. Sandy..." Debbie says, grabbing her softly by the arms. "I'll be fine. Please. Just...stay here, and watch Franny? Just for a bit longer? Show her that card game you like playing." Sandy smiles a bit, jokingly. "You mean poker?" Debbie chuckles. "Yes, poker. Just...I need to do this. Alone. I'll be safe. I promise." 

Sandy stops a moment, considering, then nods. Debbie smiles. "Thank you, babe." She says, giving her lover a deep kiss on her lips. "I owe you one." Debbie says, as she calls out to Franny. "Franny, baby? Mommy's going to run an errand. Sandy's going to stay with you for a bit. Behave, and do as she asks, okay? She's in charge." Franny nods, jumping off the couch and running up and giving Debbie a hug. Debbie smiles, as she leans down to her daughter, pulling her close and kissing her on the forehead and cheek. "Be good. I love you, okay?" Franny nods. "Yes, Mommy. I'm a good girl." Debbie can't help but smile at her daughter. "Yes, you are, baby. I love you." Franny giggles. "I love you too, Mommy!" With that, Franny grabs Sandy's hand, pulling her towards the living room. "Mommy Sandy, come watch cartoons with me!" 

Sandy smiles, turning and kissing Debbie one more time. "You get into ANY trouble, you call me, okay?" Debbie nods. "I will. Promise. Later, babe."

And with that, Debbie turns, heading out the backdoor, to look for her brother. Sandy stands a moment, staring at the closed door, until she hears Franny call for her. Sandy sighs, turning towards the living room, putting her smoke out. 

"Alright, squirt. What are we watching, here?"

* * *

**Later that Night:**

Darkness bathes the room, as Ian Gallagher lays on the bed. His lithe, thin frame rests, the pillows jumbled up beneath his head, as all lights are out. His arms is draped around his husband, Mickey, as Mickey stares up at him. They had just finished making love. Well...a lot less of making love, and a lot more of fucking, in this case, as usually is the case between them. Ian watches, as Mickey sits up in the bed, completely stark naked, and reaches over his husband for the pack of cigarettes on the end table. He give the pack a couple of quick shakes, grunting in frustration. "Fuck. I need to go get smokes in the morning."

Ian reaches over, towards Mickey, as his husband hands him one of the few cigarettes left in the pack. Ian doesn't usually smoke, as he never really liked the taste. But lately? With everything happening? Fuck it. What's a puff or two at times? Mickey seems to pick up on this and chuckles. "You look fucking weird with that damn thing between your fingers, Gallagher." He remarks. Ian smiles. "What? Never thought your husband could be a smoker?" Mickey shakes his head. "There's a lot about you that I didn't expect. Kind of why I married you." Ian can't help but laugh a little. "And here it was because I thought the sex was amazing." Mickey smiles and laughs back. "Yeah, well, that fucking too."

Ian and Mickey both fall silent, as Mickey puffs. He watches Ian, sitting in the darkness, thinking. "You're thinking about it again, aren't you?" Ian's eyes drift over to the love of his life. "What?" Mickey scoffs. "Don't play dumb. Frank. Vic. That...bullshit that happened a week or two ago." Ian nods. "Yeah. But I was thinking of before that, too. When Vic was talking to us in the kitchen. Remember Carl, asking him about prostitutes and stuff? And the Marines, and military, and etc? Something he said has been sticking with me." Mickey sits, in the dark, staring towards Ian, waiting for him to continue.

Ian sits up, leaning against the pillows a bit. "It's just...we don't have much background on this guy. I mean, I know Frank says that Vic is his son but...is that the only thing that's true? Is Vic military? I mean, yeah, he can fight, obviously, at least vs Frank, but...is everything he told us about being in the military, and all, true? You know how I feel about Stolen Valor, and all that. And all the other, crazy stories he told....are those true? Or is he just...I dunno, buttering us up, for some reason? Making it seem like he's an exciting guy?" Mickey shakes his head, taking a drag, as the tip lights in the darkness. "Fucking...hell if I know, Ian." He says.

"Don't you have a way of finding this all out?" Ian shook his head. "No, other than calling..." Ian immediately stopped, his eyes quickly shifting towards his husband. Mickey sits there, waiting. "Calling who?" he says. Ian plays it off like he's thinking a moment. "I might have some old friends in the military I can call, from when I enlisted, before I was bounced out. Maybe they can find out for me." Mickey nodded, seemingly content by these words, and Ian let go of the breath he was holding. "Yeah, that's a good idea. Probably should do that. If he's full of shit, as well as being a loose cannon, we need to expose that shit, fucking ASAP."

Ian nods. "I'll put a call in tomorrow." Mickey can only chuckle, as he leans forward, putting the cigarette out in the tray next to Ian. "When did you get so level headed and adult, Gallagher?" Ian can only smile, as he puts his smoke out, only a few puffs in, and reaches forward and pulls Mickey close, their lips meeting, and tongues wrestling together. "What can I say? I guess I'm getting old." Ian feels Mickey chuckle against him, as he pulls him closer and kisses him deeper. Mickey finally pulls back. "So, you ready for round two, Gallagher, or does your ass need a nap first, old man?"

Ian can only smile, as he moves into position, above his husband.

* * *

**An Hour or So Later:**

Ian lays there, eyes wide open, as he ponders things, still. He looks down, finding his husband fast asleep against his chest. Ian can only smile, as he lays a soft kiss on Mickey's forehead. "I love you." He whispers. The sudden urge to urinate interrupts this tender moment, though. Ian slowly, carefully pulls himself out from under Mickey, as to not wake him. He reaches over, grabbing his phone, using the light from it to illuminate the hallway. The last time he walked to the bathroom in the middle of the night, he stubbed his toe on one of Franny's toys and almost fell down the stairs. Never again, he thinks to himself.

Ian opens the door to the bathroom, slowly, and steps in. He quickly does his business, and flushes, the door closed behind him. As Ian turns to head back, a thought pushes it's way into his mind. "Something that he said" Ian whispers to himself, in the dark. He slowly looks to his phone, the flashlight on it still shining bright. He licks his lips, nervously, as he goes back to the toilet, putting the seat lid down and sitting on it. Ian stares into his phone, in the dark, as his fingers, almost on their own, swipe into his contacts. He scrolls down the groups of letters, until he finally gets to one name.

He takes a quick breath, and, almost as if on auto-pilot, presses on the name, and holds the phone up to his ear, listening to the phone dialing.

One ring. Two. Three.

 _"We're sorry, the user of this voicemailbox is not available right now. Please leave a message."_

It's almost like a condemnation, of sorts. Ian takes a breath, as he hears a beep, and finally speaks. "Hey. We...I...haven't talked to you in a really long time. How are you? I hope you're doing okay. It's uhh...It's Ian Gallagher, by the way. We looked for you at the wedding. Left you a few messages, but you must have never got them. Listen. Something has come up. I need to talk to you about some stuff, if you're still around. Give me a call back some time, okay?"  
  
Ian takes another breath, letting the moment of silence hang.

"Um. Yeah. That's all. I'll talk to you later...call me back when you can. Bye....Mandy."

Ian presses the button to deliver the message, and hangs up, lingering in the dark for a moment longer, lost in his thoughts.

* * *

**Oh, Halo on fire,** **The Midnight knows it well**  
 **Fast, is desire,** **Creates another hell**  
 **I fear to turn on the light**  
 **For the darkness won't go away**  
 **Fast, is desire,** **Turn out the light**  
 **Halo on fire...**

**  
"Halo On Fire" - Metallica**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2,406 words.  
> 13,226 characters.
> 
> Catch you next weekend! <3


	10. Confrontation and Conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Debbie confronts Vic on his actions. And the Gallagher family has a meeting, to make a decision, once and for all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everybody! It's Sunday! (10/11/2020) and welcome to the FINAL Chapter of Act 1: Sins of the Father! The story will continue, obviously, but this is only the first act. Many more to come. 
> 
> Warning: This chapter will probably be very long, probably the longest of the act, so be ready for a tiny bit of a read. But I'm wrapping things up, to set up for Act 2. So please be patient, and thank you! <3
> 
> As always, thanks for reading and if you like it, say hi! I appreciate the love and comments so far! <3 <3

* * *

**A Week Later:**

The sounds of the city bustles in Debbie Gallagher's ear, as she walks. She glances down at the piece of paper in her hands, quickly looking up for the number written down on the paper. It took some work, and a bit of searching, but Debbie was finally able to find a lead on her brother, Vic. It's been a week, of asking around, of walking the city, until she finally realized that the best way to find Vic, was through his friends. Vic had mentioned that Markus, the man who had helped Vic bust into the house on the first day he confronted Frank, was a private investigator, and an old war buddy of Vic's. 

Debbie sighs, as she walks, heels clicking against the concrete of the sidewalk. She reads off the numbers of the buildings softly, until she stops in front of one particular one. "Baker P.I." She says, to no one in particular. "Found you." Debbie steps forward, opening the door to the business, and quickly stepping in. She's greeted by the smell of cigarette smoke, and stale air. 'The ventilation in this building must be absolute crap,' Debbie thinks to herself. She turns, regarding the heavy set secretary, sitting at the desk in front of her. "Hello. Hi." Debbie says, as sweetly as she can.

The secretary looks up and smiles back. "Hello. How may I help you?" Debbie puts on her best, most polite smile as she speaks. "Yes, I was wondering if Markus was available? I needed to speak with him about an urgent matter, please?" The secretary frowns, looking at her books. "Did you have an appointment?" Debbie sighs a bit, between her teeth. "No, unfortunately. But it is kind of urgent, and I'm sure he'll want to speak with me, if he knew I was here. Can you tell him that..."  
  
Debbie didn't get any farther, as a familiar booming voice spoke behind her. "Ms. Gallagher. How nice to see you, again." Debbie turns, smiling, as she speaks. "Markus. Hi. Long time." She says, half sarcastic, remembering the last time she had met this man, with his friends, when they had barged into the Gallagher house and pointed guns at all of them. Markus motions to his secretary. "It's fine, Crystal. I have time, let me speak with Debbie a moment, please." The secretary, Crystal, nods, as she returns to her work. "Debbie, please, come into my office." Markus says, his large frame almost towering over her, in stature. Debbie sighs, as she walks into the office, waiting for Markus to shut the door behind him, as he joins her.

Markus doesn't get a single word in, as the door closes. "I need you to tell me where Vic is." Debbie interrupts. "I need to speak with him. It's important."   
  
Markus just sighs.

* * *

**An Hour Later:**

Debbie stands in front of the window, looking in, as she peers around, unseen by anyone. She watches Vic, as he kneels in front of a small boy, wearing MMA gloves, as he teaches this boy how to throw a punch, and then a kick. Debbie couldn't believe it, when Markus told her where Vic worked. It took some prying, and some explaining, but eventually Markus relented, and gave her the location of where Vic worked. Turns out, Vic had told Markus about his fight with Frank, and how worried he was that he had screwed up the only chance he had to know his brothers and sisters, because he had let his anger get to him.

Markus didn't reveal much more, telling Debbie that it was Vic's place to explain. That was fine, of course. Debbie didn't care, either way, honestly. She also didn't stick around much longer. She hopped onto the L train as soon as she could, and headed into the city a bit more. And now, she stands, watching as Vic, and a few other adults, talk to a classroom full of teenagers and kids. They're teaching them self defense, in some shitty little converted gym building on the edge of where the Southside meets the North Side of Chicago. Debbie watches Vic a bit more, careful to not be seen as a creep or anything, by passerby. She regard Vic, as he seems...gentle, here. Patient. Caring, and compassionate.

"Is this really the same guy that beat the shit out of Frank?" Debbie says, to herself, softly. She watches as Vic teaches this boy. He can't be any older than eight or nine, but he definitely looks like the kind of kid who used to get shoved into lockers by the bullies in her old school. Vic rotates his hips, showing the boy how to put force behind his punch. Debbie sighs to herself. "Here we go." She says, as she turns, walking to the door, and entering. She hears a bell ring, connected to the door, and watches Vic look over, and see her. His face changes, instantly. He looks over at the boy, sighing. "Take five, Dex." He says. "I'll be right back, buddy."

Vic walks over, as Debbie leans against a banner, separating the chairs in the waiting room, with the gym. Vic grabs a towel, on the way there, wiping sweat from his forehead and neck. "Debbie." He says, softly, as she stands there, regarding him. "Vic." She says. Debbie looks around, taking in the sight of the gym. "How'd you find me?" Vic says, softly. Debbie doesn't answer, just giving Vic a look. It seems to click. "Markus." Vic says. Debbie nods. "Yeah, paid him a visit. He told me to come here. I didn't know you worked with kids." Vic shrugs. "Someone's got to teach these kids to defend themselves from assholes on the South Side." Debbie smiles a bit. "Well, it's kind of nice. Almost wipes away that whole picture of you trying to murder Frank, and all." 

Debbie felt herself internally cringe. Did she really just blurt that out loud? "Shit. Sorry." She says. Vic's pained expression matches her cringe, right now. "Yeah...I um..." He tries to say, but stops. Debbie raises a hand. "Look, do you have time? Can we talk?" She says, nonchalantly. Vic sighs, as he leans against the divider. He turns, looking to a red haired woman, helping teach the class. "Missy, can you cover for me, with Dex? I'll be back in a bit." The woman sighs, and in her thick Irish accent, speaks. "Fine, Vic. But don't tally too long. We've got a class to teach, 'ya know?" Vic nods. "Got it. Just consider this my lunch break." He says, as he rounds the corner or the divider, signaling to Debbie to follow him, which she does.

Vic leads her out, towards a blue car, parked in the street in front of the building. A Blue 1969 Chevelle SS, to be exact. Debbie's eyes go wide, as Vic unlocks it. "Holy shit, this is your car?" She remarks. Vic nods. "Yeah, bought it cheap and did some repairs on it awhile back, when I came back home. Had a bit of cash, since I never spent much of my paycheck from overseas, so I bought this." Debbie smiles, shaking her head. "Nice." She says, as she opens the door, and sits down in the car. Vic just shakes his head, as he gets in, starts the car, and guns it down the street.

* * *

**A Bit Later:**

Vic sits, across a table from Debbie, rolling his coffee cup in between his palms, nervously. An untouched burger and fries sit in front of him. Debbie munches on the plate on nachos in front of her. Vic doesn't speak much, until Debbie sighs, and finally pipes up. "Look, I get it. Okay? I get why you beat the shit out of Frank." Vic finally looks up, from his coffee. "Do you?" He asks. Debbie nods. "Dude. Do you know how many times I've wanted to beat the living death out of him? I mean, if Ian hadn't have been there, Mickey made have done it before you did, since Frank was running his mouth."

Vic leans back a bit, against the seat. "I'm sensing a 'but' coming, here, Debs." He says, softly. Debbie nods. "BUT..." She says, letting the sentence hang a moment. "You did it in front of my daughter. Scared the shit out of her. And that's the second time you've done that." Vic can only silently nod, staring down at his coffee again. A scolded child, who knew he had done wrong. "I'm sorry." He says, softly. "I just...lost it, Debs. After what he said...I lost it. But you're right. It wasn't good, what I did. I fucked up." Debbie nods, taking another bite of nacho. "Yeah, you did. But what Frank said was...harsh."

Debbie sighs. "Vic. I need you to tell me something, and promise you'll be honest, please?" She says, her red hair bobbing as she leans forward, and speaks. Vic looks up, into her eyes, and nods slowly. Debbie sighs back. "What did Frank do? Why do you hate him so much?" Vic's eyes go wide, as he sighs, longer this time, biting his lower lip in thought. "Are you sure you want to know?" He asks. Debbie can only nod. "Yes. I think, I need to." 

Vic sighs, as he recounts the tale that he once told Fiona. Everything. From Frank's marriage to his mother, to her Cancer, to Frank leaving, to her death and Vic's time in the system. Debbie sits, silently, as Vic recalls it all. By the time it's over, anger has seemed to take over Debbie's face, and the look in her eyes speaks volumes.  
  
"Jesus Fuck." She says, as she leans back. Vic can only softly reply. "Yeah." Debbie shakes her head. "I knew he was an asshole, and selfish. But this?" Debbie's hand comes up, rubbing her mouth, as she thinks. A long, silent moment passes, until finally, Debbie stand up from the table, in the restaurant. "Look, Vic..." She says, standing in front of him. "I forgive you. And I think, everyone else would too, if they knew what Frank did. But when it comes to Frank, you have a fucking temper, dude." She says. Vic nods. "You have to control it. In front of the kids, in front of us. Period. If you have to drag Frank outside and beat him in an alley, fine. But I don't EVER want to have Franny see that shit again, okay? That's all I ask." 

Vic looks up, sadly, nodding. "Yeah. I'll try to ignore Frank as best as I can, from now on. I'm sorry, Debs." He says. Debbie stands, thinking, then sighs. "Look, just...let me talk to everyone. It won't be until after Christmas. Maybe even New Year's. Everyone's planning shit. But we will talk, and we will see how things stand, after. Okay? Just...keep doing what you are doing, and let me talk to everyone, okay?" Vic nods, finally taking a sip of his coffee. "Yeah, okay, Debs, I got some shit happening for Christmas anyways. I usually spend that day at a V.A. Helping out other vets, and all, anyways." He says, as he finally stands up, leaving the check, and some cash, on the table.

Debs nods, eyes wide as she adjusts her purse. "Jesus, what are you, Mother Theresa?" She jokes, watching Vic smile a bit, the tension seemingly evaporating from his face, a bit. She heads out the door, with him, but she suddenly stops, in the parking lot, as they head towards his car, and turns and hugs Vic, surprising him. "Wha..." Vic says. Debs holds the hug a moment longer, feeling Vic softly return it. "As far as I'm concerned, you're my brother, and I want you around." She says, pulling away finally. "Plus, Franny is attached to you. Even after all that. So you can't be that bad, right?" Vic smiles, finally, after so long of not smiling. "Maybe not. How is the little lady?" Vic remarks. Debbie smiles. "I'll tell you all about how she is, if you promise to drop me off at home."

Vic smiles a bit. "Deal." He says, as they walk to his car.

* * *

**About A Half Hour Later:**

Lip, Mickey, Ian and Carl are hanging out in the living room, jabbering about, as they smoke cigarettes and talk. Suddenly the front door opens, quickly, as Debbie comes stomping in. "Hey." She says. Lip looks up, smiling. "What's going on, Debs?" Debbie gives Lip and the rest a look, quickly sobering the room up, as she speaks. "Frank here?" She asks, steel edge in her voice. Carl nods. "Yeah, his ass is still upstairs, probably sleeping off a bender." Debbie looks around. "Good, let's go, everyone. Now." She's not leaving room for negotiation, in her voice. Ian shoots a look to everyone, as Debbie bounds up the stairs, with everyone quickly following. Debbie walks up to Frank bedroom door, closed, and starts pounding on it. 

"Frank! Open up!' She yells. Nothing, for a moment. She pounds again. "FRANK! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!" She yells, louder. She's greeted by Frank's voice, yelling. "Fuck off, Debbie!" Debbie bites her lip, looking at Mickey, as she points at the door. "Bust it down." Mickey's eyes are wide. "What?" He says. Debbie points again. "Kick the fucking door, Mick." She commands. Mickey looks at everyone, then shrugs. "Ok. It's your door, Peppermint Patty."

 _BOOM._ The door cracks inwards as Mickey gives it a swift boot. Debbie looks in to see Frank, completely in his underwear, with a bong in his hand, quickly jump to his feet. "What the fuck, Debbie? Has no one heard of personal privacy? You broke my fucking door!" Frank yells. Debbie ignores this, as she steps past the shattered door, into the room. She stares down Frank, as he stands there. "Tell me, it's not true." Frank looks confused. "What? That you're an asshole? Bad news, Debs." Frank quips.

Debbie's nostrils flare, as her eyes light up, and she speaks coldly. "Vic." She says. Frank instantly stops. "Just had a chat with your son. He told me everything. Your marriage to his mom. Her getting Cancer. and you abandoning them both when you found out, for Monica. Her dying, and you leaving Vic in the system. Tell me it's not true. And don't fucking lie to me, Frank." Debbie steps closer, her voice low, and dangerous.

Frank looks like a cornered animal, now. "I..." He says, stuttering for a moment, finally composing himself. "Oh, that's bullshit, Debbie! And you know it!" Frank throws his hands in the air. "Another one of my precious, psychopathic son's lies. Jesus, this is a whopper of one, though!" Frank says, standing there, as he lays the bong on a nearby table. "Does that even seem like me, Debbie? At all? Even a single little bit?" Debbie looks incredulous. "YES, FRANK! IT SEEMS EXACTLY LIKE YOU!" She shakes her head, as she turns to Lip. "Lip, call Fiona." Lip seems confused, reaching for his phone, as Debbie turns back to Frank. "Vic says he told Fiona the same thing. So let's see if her story matches up, huh?" 

You could almost see Frank's soul leave his body, as he stands there. Lip opens his phone, and starts dialing. "Put it on speaker." Debbie says, matter-of-factly. Lip smiles and nods. "Okay." He says, as the dial tone rings. Frank rushes forward. "Wait!" He yells. Debbie nods, angrily scoffing. "That's what I fucking thought, Frank." She says, as Lip hangs up. Everyone just stares at Frank, as he looks like a scalded dog.

Frank looks up to everyone. "Look, it was a difficult time, and everything went to shit, and what was I supposed to do? Stick around and watch someone I cared about die? I just..." Debbie raises her hand up, stopping Frank, a disgusted look on her face. "Jesus Christ. It IS all true." She says. Debbie reaches over, grabbing Frank's shirt off the dresser, and throws it at him.

"Get out." She says. Frank stutters "W..what?" He says. Debbie repeats her words, ice in her voice. "Get...the fuck out, Frank. NOW." There's no room for discussion, in her tone. Debbie turns to the group. "Get him out. Now." She says. Mickey nods, cracking his knuckles. "Glady." He says, as him and Ian move forward. Frank stutters harder. "Now wait a minute...you can't just throw me out of my...hey! NOW HOLD THE FUCK ON, GODDAMN IT!" He yells, his hands trying to shrug everyone off. Mickey and Ian stop, for a moment.   
  
"I am your father, and you cannot just throw me the fuck out of my house! This is bullshit!" He says. Mickey looks back at Debs, and Debs just nods. Mickey turns to Frank. "Either walk out or get carried out, Frank. Your choice." Frank stutters even harder. "No! I'm not leaving!" He tries to claim, until Mickey walks past him, snatching him up by the shoulder, as Lip grabs his arms, and Ian his legs, tipping Frank over to carry him out. They all walk by Debbie, as Frank tries to grab onto anything he can to stop them from carrying him out. "Goddamn it, I don't even have any fucking pants on!" He yells. "Too bad, Frank! You had your chance to go peaceful." Carl yells out. 

"Throw him out back with the rest of the garbage!" Debbie yells out, as Lip pulls Frank's hands away from the door frame, as one would pull away a four year old that didn't want to go to bed. Debbie quickly reaches down, grabbing everything of Frank's that she can carry, and following behind the group. She gets down to the kitchen, as the rest finally get Frank out the door, into the freezing December cold, and down the stairs. They throw him into the yard, with an undignified thump, onto his ass. Debbie chucks his clothes and items at him. "There, your pants, coat, and other shit. Don't come back, Frank. Find somewhere else to live."

Frank stands up, trying to brush himself off angrily, grabbing his clothes, and yelling. Debbie doesn't pay attention, as the group walks back into the house, shutting and locking the door behind them.

Debbie looks at the group. "Ian, call a locksmith and get him down here to fix the god damn lock on that basement door outside. I don't want Frank getting in, period." She sighs, as Ian nods. "So, I found Vic." She says. "And as you heard, he told me why Frank set him off."

Debbie regards the group, and sighs.

"After Christmas, we need to get everyone together and talk."

* * *

**January 2nd, 2021:**

Debbie sits, in front of the group, in the chair of the living room. Everyone is here. Liam, Carl, Mickey, Sandy, Lip, Ian, and Fiona, all sitting in various places on the couch or floor, watching Debbie. Even Tami, Lip's girlfriend, sitting right next to him on the couch, holding Fred, their son. Debbie sighs, as she regards the group. She would have brought this meeting up earlier, but Christmas and the Gallagher New Year's bash took priority, unfortunately. Debbie hasn't seen Vic in a few days, only visiting him for a bit, on Christmas, with Franny, so he didn't feel so alone. Vic appreciated that, for sure, and was happy to see them both.

But now Debbie sits, regarding the group, as she sighs. "So...now that you all are sober and no longer hung over..." She laughs, a bit. "We need to talk. About our...brother. Vic. And what to do. Frank's...gone, god knows where. And you all know what he did." This is true, of course. Debbie asked Vic, on Christmas day, if it was okay to tell everyone. Vic finally relented, but it was obvious he was nervous about them knowing. Debbie never told him that it had slipped out and the boys, sans Liam, had heard about it, when she confronted Frank and threw him out. She wasn't sure how pissed Vic would have been about that.

"I know Vic went off, and shit got crazy. But...now you all know why. And I think...maybe...we should talk about allowing Vic to come back around." Debbie let that hang a minute. "But...with some ground rules. Like...no trying to kill anyone in front of the kids, and all that." Lip nods. "Yeah, that's a definite." Fiona frowns, in thought, tucking her knees to her chest. "I get why he did it. It was...brutal, and bad. But I get why he did it." Mickey nods. "Yeah, I mean, if it wasn't Vic, I was going to lay a fucking beating on him, for running his mouth, so..." 

Tami scoffs, looking around. "Are you all serious? This is literally strike two, guys. First with him barging in, with the guns, and everything, and them him trying to murder Frank. Do we really want to let him get to strike three, and kill someone, this time? Dude has a fucking temper." Debbie nods, leaning back against the chair. "I get that, and he does. But...it seems like that temper only comes out, around FRANK." Emphasis on the Frank, as Debbie speaks. Lip turns, looking at Tami. "Tami, if I was in Vic's place, and Frank had said that shit to me...I can't guarantee that I wouldn't have tried to kill him, as well." Tami just sighs, shaking her head. "I don't know if I want him around Fred, honestly." She says. Debbie nods. "I understand that, Tami. I do. But..." She says, putting and emphasis on the 'but,' "but....I don't think Vic would go after any of us, honestly. I mean, you know what Frank did. How he left Vic, the way he did. And Vic has never even spoken an angry word to anyone else BUT Frank."

Debbie lets that sentence hang, as Tami rolls her eyes. "Fine. I don't live here, and honestly I don't have much say in anything, past about Fred, so...sure, I guess. Let the psychopath come around, I suppose." She gripes, in an annoyed tone. "But yes. Ground rules, for sure."

Ian nods a bit, leaning forward. "I did some snooping, into Vic's military background. Had some of my old Army buddies look into him. Everything is legit, it seems. Guy was a Jarhead for...twenty years almost. Nothing he seemed to be saying was a lie." Liam raises a hand. "Wait, even the stuff he was telling us awhile back, about getting shot and talking to hookers and etc?" Ian gives Liam a look. "Well, he did get shot, and honorably discharged. As for the hooker thing?" Ian's shoulders come up, in a shrug. "I dunno. Can't really verify that, to be honest."

Sandy sighs. "Okay, so...let's put it to a vote. Yes to stay, or No, and he goes?" Everyone looks around at each other, nodding. "Yeah, that seems best, Sandy." Debbie says, as she clasps her hands together. "I'll go first. Yes." She says.

Fiona speaks next. "Yes. He may not be a Gallagher, but he is our brother. And NOTHING like Sammi was. So...I say yes."

Lip: "Yeah." He says, looking to Tami. Tami rolls her eyes. "I want to say no, but I feel like I'd be the only one. So....yes. WITH GROUND RULES." She says, firm on the 'ground rules' part. Lip nods, as he smiles at Fred, cooing in Tami's arms.

Carl: "Yeah, whatever."

Mickey: "Yeah, as long as he keeps his fucking cool."

Sandy sighs, as she speaks: "I vote with you, babe. So...yeah."

Liam nods: "Sure."

Ian: "Yes."

Debbie nods, looking around the room. "So it's a yes. We let him back around, but with specific rules. No violence, and no going after Frank. Anything else...we will cross that bridge when we get to it." Tami stands up, sighing. "Glad we could all come to THAT agreement. I need to get Fred to sleep, so I'm heading upstairs. Night, all." Lip nods, following Tami up. The rest of the group breaks up, heading upstairs, leaving just Debbie, Mickey, Ian and Sandy in the living room. Sandy pulls Debbie close, kissing her. "You sure this is a good idea, babe? I am worried about what Vic might do, in front of Franny, again." Debbie nods, smiling. "It'll be fine, as long as Frank isn't around."

A loud knock on the front door nearby cuts through the quiet conversation. Ian looks at Mickey and the rest of the group. "Were we expecting anyone?" Mickey shakes his head. "Nah. Probably fucking Frank, trying to beg his way back in, or some shit. I got it." Mickey says, as he heads to the door. Another quick knock, and Mickey swings open the door, tensed up for the drama.

"God damn it, Frank. I thought we told you never to come...back..." Mickey's eyes go wide, and his voice falls silent. Ian joins behind him after a moment. "Hey, babe what's going...on?"

"Holy fucking shit." Mickey says, as he stares.

Standing in the open doorway, on the porch of the Gallagher house, a familiar, skinny, blonde woman stands in front of Mickey and Ian both, regarding them.

"Hi." Mandy Milkovich says, softly.

* * *

**End of Act 1.**

* * *

**Hang on, it's clear that the roads about to get rough**   
**Oh, can you hear the ringing it's left in my ear?**

**"The Pavilion (A Long Way Back) - Coheed and Cambria**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Act 2 coming soon! Thanks for reading!
> 
> 4,210 words  
> 23,060 characters.
> 
> See you in Act 2! <3 <3

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure how many chapters will be written for this. It's a work in progress.


End file.
